


The Nuances of Destiny

by LorelyLantana



Series: The Subtleties of Fate [2]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: AU, Both Link and Zelda are in the Shrine of Resurrection this time, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Little Sister AU, Not Canon Compliant, Post-Calamity Ganon, Sequel, The Champions are also alive, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Wolf Link (Legend of Zelda), no beta 'cus I don't have one
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:21:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 27,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24402739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LorelyLantana/pseuds/LorelyLantana
Summary: Calamity has risen, a century has passed and deep within the Great Plateau water recedes in the Shrine of Resurrection, waking the two sleeping inside.AKA: What happens when you stick mad scientist and a swordsman with no sense of self preservation in a mountain and let them steep for a century? We're gonna find out.
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Series: The Subtleties of Fate [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1762096
Comments: 53
Kudos: 143





	1. Wake Up

The first thing I felt was the feeling of water draining away, and hand squeezing my shoulder and shaking gently.

“Open your eyes.”

I blinked the water out of my vision to look up into a pair of eyes so blue it took my breath away. I was laying on my side, so I rolled onto my back to face him fully, and he was handsome in a way that sent blood rushing to my cheeks when I realized that he wasn’t wearing much at all besides a pair of navy blue boxer briefs. He gently tucked a one hand behind my head while the other pressed into the small of my back to help me sit up sooner. I put a hand on his shoulder while I got my bearings.

We were in a strange room illuminated by a dim blue light. It was empty, apart from the strange contraption we were seated in. It all seemed so familiar, but the harder I tried to place it the more frustrated I became. I looked back to the boy, only to see his cheeks flushed and his eyes running over my bare stomach. I felt a thrill rush through me, but before I could say anything he turned his eyes to mine and averted them just as quickly, clearing his throat and mumbling an apology for staring.

The boy moved his hand to my bare waist, running his palm over a round patch of pale skin on my ribs where they must have been pierced long ago. I sucked in a breath, his touch warm and welcomed. His hand flew back at the noise, brows drawn together in guilty concern.

“I’m sorry, did I hurt you?”

“You should worry about yourself,” I quipped, grabbing his hand and rubbing a finger along one of the countless scars that marked his arms. He looked down at himself, bewildered, before swinging his legs onto the floor.

“I awoke beside you moments ago and I don’t- I don’t remember anything. Do you have any idea what’s going on?”

I shook my head, “I’m at a loss as well I’m afraid,” I straightened and nodded my head, “Shall we try the door?”

The boy tried pushing it at different places, only to turn to me and shake his head.

“It’s shut tight.”

I hummed, studying over to a pedestal that caught my eye. I laid a hand on its surface, and it came to life with lines of blue light. A contraption rose from the pedestal and flipped around, revealing a stylized eye in orange and blue lines. Curious, I wrapped my fingers around the handle and lifted gently. It came free with a soft click, and the room shook.

In front of the boy, the door rose in sections, granting us access to another room filled with crumbling boxes. He turned to me.

“How did you do that?” he asked, incredulous. I shrugged, focused on the strange slate in my hands.

“Perhaps this device acts as some sort of key?” I began to fiddle with the screen as my companion poked around the boxes and chests, eventually finding a ragged pair of pants and a shirt for his trouble. He handed them to me. 

“Here, you can have these.”

I smiled gratefully, and he turned away while I pulled the clothes on.

“We might not know your name, but at least we know you’re a gentleman,” I said, tapping him on the shoulder to let him know I was decent before crossing the room to where a similar pedestal stood next to a shut door. I examined the stone surface and noticed the circle in the pattern was identical to the one in the center of the slate’s eye. On a whim, I held the slate up and tried to align the two. Before I could place the slate to the pedestal’s surface completely a flash of light. The door next to it began to move, horizontal slabs receding before sections of the door once again rose from the floor and let in air so sweet it was beyond my wildest imagination. 

I stepped into the light, shielding my eyes from the glare before my eyes adjusted. I glanced at my companion, he was just as enraptured as I. He started walking up the stairs, taking my hand in his as he passed. The gesture seemed so natural that I let it happen without comment. 

He helped me up onto the ledge before ascending the final stairs, and we stepped out into the open together.


	2. The Isolated Plateau

I stepped out into the sunlight feeling like a baby bird finally leaving the nest. Running up to the edge overlooking the land below us, I couldn’t think that anything could possibly be more beautiful. The world stretched out for an unfathomable distance, every inch of it beckoning and begging to be explored. The choir of birdsong broke through the haze of the cave and grounded me to reality. I wasn’t dreaming, I was alive.

The boy was beside me, and for a moment we didn’t say anything. There was no chance of putting this moment to words. This rapture of untapped possibility was intoxicating, and I may have stood there forever had the slate not vibrated in my hands. The trance broken, I looked down to examine the screen to find a small yellow dot with a circle emanating around it periodically. I also took note of a small arrow not far from it, and on a hunch I turned this way and that, noticing that the arrow’s movement corresponded with my own. Perhaps it was a map of some sort.

“It’s incomplete,” I huffed, before taking my companion’s hand and starting down the path.

“Where are we going?” the boy asked, following without resistance.

“I want to see what this glowing dot is, if we try to reach this location we might find answers.”

That being said, following a blank map proved to be easier said than done when we were diverted from our path by strange monsters, and we found ourselves a bit turned around in a copse of trees. On one hand, my companion seemed to be an experienced combatant, rushing and dispatching enemies in a flurry of intuition and buried instinct. On the other hand, no matter how skilled he happened to be, there was only so much he could do with a stick and the odd rusted axe. 

It wasn’t all bad, at one point we came across a chest containing a sturdy pair of trousers for my companion, but it took us until nightfall to reach our goal, which seemed to be an odd sort of alcove made from packed dirt and from a material that matched that of the room we woke up in. We walked inside, and I placed the slate onto the pedestal as I had in the cave. I watched in interest as words appeared on the screen.

_ Please watch for falling rocks. _

“Falling rocks?” the boy asked quizzically, “what falling-“

He was interrupted by a rumble echoing throughout the land, shaking the ground beneath us. I fell to my hands and knees, feeling the vibrations reverberate throughout my bones and drowning out the beat of my heart. the boy wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me to him and he tried to shield me from the debris that was crumbling around us as we were suddenly sent skyward by the rising floor beneath us. By the time the land went still we found ourselves at the top of a tower overlooking the land. The boy rolled off of me and stood, taking my hand in his as I joined him. We watched as the slate was updated with what turned out to be a map of the entire plateau. What sparked my interest, however, was how the land seemed to shine with stars fallen to earth, spread across the land were countless uniform buildings that gleamed bright and orange like the last sparks of a dying fire.

“Do you feel that?” I asked my companion, the more I focused on the land, the more I could feel a hum of energy running through the ground, sending a crackle of electricity through my skin and with it came a sense of urgency that drove me to look toward the castle that rose up on the horizon. Before my eyes an angry red tempest began to swirl about the building, writhing and hateful. It struck a sense of fear into my heart when it seemed to turn towards me, but before I could scream the beast slammed against an invisible barrier, prompting slivers of light to spread out around the point of impact.

Whatever evil inhabited that castle, it was securely contained. For the time being.

I breathed a sigh of relief and turned to my companion, “Let’s investigate the lights, whatever’s inside those buildings might give us an idea as to how to get down.”

I moved to descend through the hole in the floor but was stopped when I felt a hand on my arm.

“Night has fallen,” he said, “we shouldn’t walk around in the dark when we don’t know how to defend ourselves properly. Let’s spend the night here and make our way there in the morning.”

We spent the evening sitting around a fire the boy built from wood and tinder he had gathered during the day. While he cooked some mushrooms I examined the new map on the slate’s screen, to my disappointment, it only revealed a small portion of the map, but I figured that visiting each of the towers would provide a corresponding map. I noticed that the yellow dot had turned into a small icon labeled “Great Plateau Tower”, which led me to question what exactly made this plateau so great, but then I noticed that there was another similar icon to the north of the tower. It seemed to denote the location of the lone blue building, labeled “Oman Au Shrine”. Satisfied with my observations, I turned to share them with the boy. He joined me by the edge, handing me a cooked mushroom as he did so.

“What I would like to know is why the shrine closest to us glows blue while the rest are orange. This tower is similarly blue while the others are orange, which implies that once a facility is accessed they turn blue, but we don’t have enough information to be certain. Look! It’s door is open as well! Perhaps it has really has been accessed? But how? All of the shrines seemed to be dormant before this tower rose. Well, first things first, we should check on all of the orange shrines first, that way we’ll have an idea of what we should expect and if there are any notable differences in the Oman Au Shrine.”

“The shrines up on the mountain might prove to be a challenge,” he pointed out, and I nodded.

“We’ll have to cross that bridge when we get to it, I’m afraid.” 

We couldn’t bring ourselves to sleep just yet, so we just stretched out side by side to look up at the stars. It was quiet for several moments before the boy spoke.

“What are we supposed to do?”

“What?”

“We’re all alone now, but someone put us in that mountain. They must have had a reason to do it, but there’s no one to tell us why.”

I had been wrestling with the same query all day. Hoping that following the slate’s instructions would provide some sort of purpose. It helped quell the panic at being completely lost with only the clothes on our backs. Or lack of it, since the boy had yet to find a shirt.

“I think we’ll just have to make it up as we go along,” I whispered. He didn’t respond and we just lay there side by side until finally drifting off.

When the sun rose we made our way down from the tower, dropping from platform to platform until we were on solid ground. From there we made our way to a cluster of ruins the slate called the Eastern Abbey. I leaned against a crumbling wall to consult the map to find the best route to the shrine inside while the boy explored the ruins himself. A low hum came from inside the decrepit abbey followed by a strange beeping sound.

“That can’t be good,” the boy said before I heard an explosion. Moments later the boy rounded the wall beside me, panting and wide eyed. Evidently one of the dozen mechanical spiders we found around the plateau wasn’t as inanimate as we’d grown accustomed to, and the machines were devastatingly powerful. From that moment on we proceeded with caution. 

Fortunately, the explosion had blown a hole through the wall around the shrine, cutting a path for us. After some consideration we decided to make a break for it, learning that we could avoid getting shot at by periodically escaping its line of sight. Finally, we made it into the shrine and found yet another pedestal. As I stepped towards it, an ancient voice reverberated throughout the chamber.

_ At long last you have returned to us. I am Ja Baij, one of the monks blessed with the sight tasked with watching over these shrines and your slumber. It is with great sorrow and tremendous pride that we welcome you back to the battlefield. _

_ In the name of the goddess Hylia, I offer you this trial. _

I had assumed the pedestal would supply a map of the facility, but instead we were given a rune that allowed us to summon infinite bombs capable of breaking through stone. The building seemed designed to help convey the slate’s capabilities and limitations. We found a chest behind one of the blasted walls. Inside was a claymore that the boy took with a sigh of relief, pleased to have a proper weapon in his hands.

At the end of the shrine there sat in the withered monk who spoke to us inside a box of light. 

The boy walked up the stairs and pressed his palm to the eye in front of him.

_ In the name of the Goddess Hylia I bestow upon you this spirit orb. _

_ Go forth, children of destiny, and bring light to the land. _

I watched as a transparent orb containing some sort of crest sank into my companion’s chest, perplexed. As I watched it settle within him, I had a strange sort of sixth sense tell me that an identical cluster of energy already rested within him. Before I could think anything of it, however, we were teleported out of the shrine. I took out the slate and checked the map. An icon was added to mark the shrine’s location, lending credence to my theory that these shrines needed to be accessed before they were registered to the slate.

Now with a reliable defense in the form of explosives, we ventured into the woods to forage for food. I was picking up to study a bright green mushroom when I felt my companion’s hand between my shoulders. I turned to look at him. He nodded towards a shadow emerging from between the trees.

The wolf had deep gray fur with a dotted diamond on its forehead. It walked towards us without so much as a growl and sat before us, expectant. 

“Oh my goodness it’s a puppy,” I whispered, inexplicably unconcerned and delighted by the newcomer. I held my hand out, palm up, so the sweet thing could give it a sniff. I got an affectionate nuzzle for my efforts. The boy scratched the wolf behind the ears, and the wolf was officially made a member of our company, following us around the plateau as we tried to get our bearings. The wolf proved helpful in unexpected ways, from fighting off monsters to taking down a boar for us to eat as we walked on, eating some for himself and letting the boy stow the rest in his pack. The wolf was oddly insistent that we collect peppers, so we ended up with a multitude of them when the day began to wane.

“Hey Honey?” the boy called without a thought, to which I immediately, instinctively turned to him and replied with “Yes, Love?”

We both froze, considering the implications of this apparent habit. A sharp, logical part of my mind insisted that this was a good thing. In a situation where both of our names were forgotten, proper nouns of any kind could prove to be remarkably useful. Alas, all the reason in the world couldn’t dream of convincing a pounding heart to calm itself. I tried to swallow, hoping to push my beating heart back into my chest where it belonged, and said, “You were saying?”

He cleared his throat, “The sun’s going down, we should settle down for the night.” 

Before he could even finish his thought the wolf started forward a few steps, looking back at us to follow. He ended up leading us to an old abandoned cabin. It must have been years since anyone lived there, but it would serve us well as a shelter for the time being, and after blowing the dust away with an absurdly sized leaf it seemed rather cozy. I was in charge of clearing the dust from the house while the boy set out to make a meal in the pot just outside. 

For all of the missing spaces in my memory, I liked to think that pieces of the boy and I could be found in the ways we fit together. There was very little discussion when it came to splitting tasks. It was a given that I would chart our course while he made sure the path in front of us was safe to walk by surging into battle when necessary. I knew he was a warrior of some sort, that was the only explanation for the way he seemed to dance with a blade. The natural rhythm he seemed to step into at the mere hint of a threat. I got the sense that we had been paired together long before we were laid to rest in that mountain. 

I was snapped out of my thoughts by the sight of a book resting on top of a table by the door. I picked up the dusty tome and gingerly opened the cover, hoping to find some information as to how to leave the plateau, or any information of this world. At first it seemed like a regular diary, documenting the day to day life of the house’s resident. It even detailed how to brave the cold of the mountain by cooking some of the peppers we had, information I quickly relayed to the boy, who set about cooking several dishes like the one the journal described in preparation for our adventure the next day. I tucked the journal in my pack, intending to read the rest of it later.

It took some persistence, but we made it to the snowy shrine just when the sun began to set. The wolf remained outside while we descended underground. After we downloaded the cryonis rune we made our way through the shrine. We ran into a miniature version of the strange mechanical beast that carved our path to the first shrine. Luckily the boy managed to reflect its beam back at it with the pot lid he’d picked up from the cabin.

The floor was flooded up to our knees, soaking our pants through, so once we made it to the upper level of the shrine we began to bed down for the night. The shrine was blessedly warm after the trudge through the snow, but the boy built a fire anyway so we could lay our dripping clothes beside it so they wouldn’t freeze when we left the next morning.

I sat beside the boy and leaned into him. He wrapped his arm around me in response. Seeing him in just his undershorts tempted me to escalate the situation, in all honesty, but the monk sitting silently at the corner of my eyes prevented anything further than that. I was content to sit and soak in this connection between us, savoring the warmth of his skin against mine. I turned the pages to where I left off in the journal.

_ They’ve completed my dearest Zelda’s memorial. It’s beautiful. Gazing up at it drove home just how much I lost due to my own stubbornness. I could have been witness to all of her accomplishments were it not for my cursed pride. _

_ I’ve put off writing this down for years, fearing what would happen once I put words to my shame. However, I feel my life grows short, and I refuse to waste this gift that Leah had the grace to give me as a token of her forgiveness. _

_ My dearest Zelda I have failed you, and though I have resolved to live out my days on this isolated plateau to watch over your resting place there is no penance that could make up for all that I have done to you. You were right, it was my arrogance that blinded me to all that you could do, to all that you’ve done. When the sun rises and I can see the Triforce barrier around the ravaged castle we once called home and there is no denying that you were right all along. It was your home and I chased you out of it.  _

_ Hyrule slipped out of my hands to rest in your care, and I thank Hylia every day for that. It strikes me anew every time I visit your sister how many lives would have been lost were it not for your efforts to make sure our people were safe.  _

_ And I accused you of cowardice, of foolishness. That is the one regret that will never leave me. _

I shut the book and pushed it away, upset, though I couldn’t pinpoint why. Something about those words shook me a bit. 

The boy had dozed off, and the peaceful look on his face helped steady my heart. I nuzzled into his shoulder, and he sleepily tightened his grip around me, providing the security I needed to calm down and fall asleep.

By the time we had visited all of the shrines on the plateau all of the runes had been downloaded onto the slate save for one empty space, but I figured that would have to wait until we descended to the land below. 

Which brought us to our current conundrum, we had circled the perimeter multiple times, yet there didn’t seem to be a way down. We had found a device that the journal had described as a paraglider in the cabin, but it didn’t seem large enough to carry the both of us. I sat in the grass a few feet away from the ledge that led down the land below. 

We were clustered to the south of the old cabin, next to the gap we had to cross below the Owa Daim shrine. As of yet it seemed to be the most promising departure point, but neither of us were willing to test our endurance on such a climb. I’d briefly considered trying to detach a leg from one of the mechanical spiders to craft a makeshift ladder, but without a way to bind them together it was a lost cause. As it was, I leaned against one of the trees and sketched a diagram of the paraglider with a piece of charcoal I’d found in the cabin while the wolf dozed off in the shade beside me. I was hoping that if I could understand how the paraglider was built, I could replicate it as well.

It was a peaceful afternoon, the sun was shining, turning the leaves a glowing green and glittering off the lake. The breeze was sweet and helped make the day a little cooler. It was days like these that cultivated a love for the land and the great outdoors, and even though this afternoon was filled with contentment I still longed to see the rest of the world.

Thus, I turned back to the page I was currently drawing on, the journal was only half full, and I figured it was a shame to waste the rest of it. The paraglider itself was simple enough in design, the biggest issue in recreating it was the lack of materials. We had more than enough wood, but the fabric seemed to be different than anything we’d found on the plateau, which made it doubtful that it could be reliably replicated. 

Frustrated, I looked up to where the boy was examining the horse shaped contraption that the slate could summon. It made me burn with curiosity, but the urgency to get to the land below overruled it, so I gave the slate to the boy so he could familiarize himself with it. He swung a leg over the machine to sit on it before looking at the various displays. Something about how the machine was pointed at the ledge and the short distance from the edge gave me misgivings, and I opened my mouth to suggest he move a bit.

“What does this lever do?” he mused, before he shot forward, right off the plateau and into the open air.

I leapt to my feet, stowing the journal and grabbing the paraglider as I ran after him. I leapt off the plateau. For a moment, I fell through the air, and for a moment I was sure I would sprout wings, but the sight of the boy had pulled me back to reality and I deployed the glider, with a snap and a yank my descent slowed enough to land on my feet with something akin to grace before running to the boy’s side.

Against all odds, he seemed fine, as did the machine under him, which only sparked my curiosity more, but above all else, I wanted to make sure the boy was okay.

“Are you alright, Love?” I cooed, rubbing his back while he held the handlebars of the machine in a death grip.

“I think so,” he squeaked, though I couldn’t tell if it was because of the fright of being launched off the plateau or the rough landing. I helped him off the contraption, and after a few awkward steps forward, he seemed right as rain. The machine dissolved as soon as the boy took a few steps from it, and I didn’t think he’d want to call upon it again any time soon. I looked around, we couldn’t see much from this point, being surrounded by stone on all sides but one. I turned north.

“Well, we’re off the plateau, nowhere to go by forward,” I said, taking his arm, and we began to walk around the plateau.

We didn’t make it very far until we heard a strange tingling noise. In front of us, much to our confusion, was a rain of little shards of darkness that coalesced into our lupine companion. Wolf shook out his fur before taking his place walking beside me, pushing his nose into my hand.

“Is that normal?” the boy asked.

“Hell if I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I know this chapter took forever and I'm sorry. This one was a struggle because it's important to show some of the fundamental differences between this fic and the cannon but at the same time I feel like everyone's already played through the Great Plateau a dozen or so times and are probably getting a bit sick of it, so it was hard to find out what to include and what to gloss over in terms of exposition. Thanks for bearing with me!


	3. Little Bird

The land was named Hyrule. Evidently it was a kingdom, but if the castle was any indication, the king that ruled it was a wicked one indeed. Nevertheless, it was beautiful and teeming with possibilities. 

“What should we do first, Love?” I asked the boy. He thought for a moment.

“I think I saw a building on the eastern side of the plateau, maybe we can meet someone who can help us find our way.”

With that, we set out eastward, coming across what turned out to be a stable around mid afternoon. The wolf was hesitant to approach the people gathered around, seemingly aware of the apprehensive stares that were tossed his way. That didn’t mean he was lonely, though, as not long after he hung back one of the dogs made their way towards him, and they began to play together, rolling around in a mock battle.

My love went to speak with the man at the counter while I was distracted by a musician with bright blue feathers. There was something about the tune that captured my mind, so I stopped to listen. The bard seemed to be in a trance, lost in the song. Then the sun came out from beyond a cloud, drawing his eye to where I stood. 

The bard froze, the music coming to an abrupt halt. He stared at me for a moment with a look of disbelief. I faltered under his gaze.

“Forgive me,” I said, “I liked the song, I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

The bard shook his head, then seemed to remember himself. “Oh no! It’s no disturbance at all! I was just taken aback by your hair. Did you know that the princess of legend was described as having hair just like yours?”

I blinked, at a loss. I had no idea as to what princess he could be referring to, though his lack of clarification implied that the figure he was referencing was universally known. Fortunately, an old man spoke up, saving me from having to reply right away.

“You’re right on that account. My grandfather used to work in the palace stables, and he used to tell me about how the princess would ride this pure white stallion, and her golden hair in the sun was a thing of beauty unlike anything ever seen after the Age of Burning Fields. They say that a descendent of her steed has been spotted at Safula Hill just north of here. What I wouldn’t give to see such an elegant mount in person.”

By this time my love had finished speaking with the stable man and gave my farewells to the men to walk towards him.

“What did you find out?” I asked, he shrugged.

“Evidently this stable is a part of a network, and we can register a horse for twenty rupees.”

“Where are we supposed to get twenty rupees?” 

“Where are we supposed to get a horse?”

I told him about what I’d heard, leaving out my apparent resemblance to the princess.

“Still, it seems like we’ll need money one way or the other. I think that looking for a tailor would be prudent as well,” I murmured. While my Love fixed us a meal I managed to accost a merchant named Beetle and sell some of the amber and opals that we found during our exploration of the plateau, this gave us enough money for a few nights in the stable. I went to rent out beds for us after dinner, but my Love declined.

“Don’t worry about it, Honey. I don’t really feel tired, last night was more than enough. Besides, I want to investigate the shrine on the hill.”

I considered arguing the issue, but decided to hand the slate and gave him some rupees in case he changed his mind.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Love,” I called, and he smiled before turning to leave.

He strode out into the night, before the bard, who introduced himself over dinner as Kass, commented, “Your husband must be of Sheikah make.”

My head whipped around, cheeks flaming, “What?”

“One of the reasons the shadow people were able to accomplish so much was their need for far less sleep than the rest of us," he elaborated, oblivious to my embarrassment, "I had the privilege of studying under a Sheikah. He wasn’t a researcher or a warrior like most of them, but rather a poet researching ancient songs.”

I took a breath to tell him that my Love wasn’t my husband, but thought better of it when I realized that I couldn’t rule it out with any degree of certainty, and denying his assumption could very well lead to questions I didn’t have answers for.

I woke up to my Love gently shaking my shoulder with a boyish grin on his face.

“Come here, I have a surprise for you.”

He brought me outside where a pure white stallion stood tall and proud, pawing the ground and shaking his head. I broke out into a grin.

“How did you find him?” I asked, petting the horse’s nose. He pushed his head into my chest, nudging a giggle out of me.

“I walked up to the hill you described and found him grazing. I snuck up on him and managed to tame him. I thought we could register him.”

While I liked the idea more and more, I found myself frowning.

“We’ll need names as well,” I said.

While ‘Honey’ and ‘Love’ worked it well enough between the two of us, it wouldn’t pass as actual identifiers for others. While I was pondering the dilemma, I caught sight of a flash of blue feathers taking flight. Something about being called a little bird seemed oddly comforting.

“I think I’ll go by Sparrow,” I said, petting the stallion and glancing at my Love.

“It suits you,” he said, giving me a kiss on the cheek on his way around me. He then made a stirrup with his hand and nodded towards the stallion’s back. I put my foot in his hands and he helped me mount. 

I settled on the horse with a fond smile that was reflected in my love’s face.

“Does this guy have a name?” he asked. I quirked a brow.

“You tamed him, shouldn’t you name him?” He shook his head. 

“I got him for you,” he said, bringing a warmth to my chest.

I steered the stallion to the stable counter with my love walking by my side. 

I ended up naming the stallion Starlight, and I had just finished the registration when I heard a gasp of disbelief. I turned to Toffa, the old man whose grandfather worked in the palace stables.

“I never thought I’d see the day,” he whispered with such gratitude and awe that I felt completely unworthy in my tattered clothes and loose hair. He insisted in giving us the royal tack, shining with gold. I accepted under the excuse that it was mostly for the horse, and not me. 

Bidding farewell to the stable residents, we made our way up the northern road. I rode Starlight while Link rode the Master Cycle, albeit with some reluctance, while the wolf kept pace beside me. We made our way towards one of the towers, but once we passed Jeddo bridge I became transfixed by something in the sky.

I’d assumed that it was a cloud, but upon closer inspection it moved uniformly, in constant circles. I kept an eye on it as we moved, and observed that it looked like an enormous bird, yet it flapped no wings, seemingly frozen in a single position.

“My love,” I called, and he slowed the Master Cycle’s speed so he could look at me safely, “what do make of that shadow to the northeast?”

He looked to where I was pointing, then held up the slate to look closer, “It looks like some sort of machine, I bet we could get a better look from the tower.”

Of course, that proved to be easier said and done, the second tower was surrounded by monsters charged with deadly electricity unlike any we had encountered. Unlike the bumbling bokoblins, these reptilian adversaries were quick and precise, so much so that we decided they were best avoided for the time being.

That’s what brought us to the mountain behind it, overlooking the danger surrounding the tower.

“Alright,” I said with my hands on my hips, “I’ll glide down to the base of the tower, climb up, and glide back down and meet you back here.” 

He agreed, albeit reluctantly, while I took a running start before leaping into the air like I was born for it. The paraglider snapped above me, keeping me aloof as I floated down. I maneuvered to avoid the strange flying sprite that didn’t bode well at all, and managed to land on the lowest platform undetected, where I rested for a few minutes. The glide down was longer than I expected, especially since I’d only been active for a few days since waking in the plateau. Still, I made the climb to the top successfully and unseen, downloading the map before using the slate’s scope to get a closer look at the flying leviathan. It was, as my Love had described, a machine, with several rotors spinning to keep it afloat.

Maybe I was fascinated by the concept of such a marvel of machinery, or maybe I envied it’s unrestrained flight, but I knew that our next destination was high in the sky, and no matter how, I would stop at nothing until we reached it.

With newfound resolve, I leapt off the tower and landed at the base of the mountain. I whistled for Starlight, swinging up into the saddle and urging him back up the mountain to rendezvous with my Love.

To my surprise and delight, he came trotting around the bend on a beautiful chestnut Clydesdale with a shining white mane, followed by the wolf. We backtracked to where we saw a stable on our way. I accompanied my Love to the counter to register so I could hand him the money.

“You want to register? Right. Name?”

“Epona,” he answered without hesitation. The stableman raised an eyebrow.

“Your name is Epona?”

“Oh! Uh no. My name is . . .” he glanced around, he must’ve glanced over our furry friend, because he turned and said, “Wolf. My name is Wolf.”

“I see, well Wolf, I take it that you want to name this little one Epona?”

My Love, newly named Wolf, nodded and slipped the red rupee across the counter.

“Are you going to want a bed tonight?” I asked, he shook his head.

“I want to try out the paraglider,” he said, taking the slate as I handed it to him. I handed the glider over as well.

“I’ll see you in the morning then.”

“'Night, Honey.”

“Goodnight, my Love.”

* * *

I woke with a smile, strangely optimistic when we set out to cross the massive, creaking bridge across the canyon gap. I went first. Taking great care to avoid the gaps where the woodwork was failing. The canyon was deeper than anything I’d ever seen. In the early morning light, I could have sworn that there was a strange blue light coming from the north of the canyon. I leaned in the saddle to get a closer look.

There was a crack, and with a splinter of wood Starlight reared and kicked, throwing me from the saddle and into the chasm below.

I hear Wolf scream for me, the slate on his belt and the paraglider stowed in his saddlebag.

I fell through the air, plummeting closer and closer to the ground with every passing second. It was then, in the free fall, that I felt some instinct run along my spine, pulsing against my skin and bursting in a ray of light. 

And then I was soaring, past the canyon and past the bridge into the open sky.

There are no words that can describe the freedom of flight, though I’m sure countless have tried. I could go where I wanted, soar to the end of the world and back if I so wished on wings as bright as the light of day. Instead, I angled myself north, where the mechanical bird was still flying in lazy circles. I felt drawn like the arrow on a compass towards the machine, but when I got close enough to land on its grassy surface, I saw a burning red translucent barrier spread over. Confused, I maneuvered, however clumsily, to see the underside of the beast, only to find that it too was guarded. 

A beam shot a hole through the wings that kept me aloft, sending me falling once more.

Then I saw the cannon, warming up to fire at me once again. I snarled in indignation, righteous fury pooling through my finger and solidifying into an intricate arch that formed a bow. Just holding it was draining me rapidly, already turning the edges of my vision black, but a single moment as all I needed to send a lethal projectile straight into the offending cannon with a vengeful scream, shattering it before succumbing to darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly I've always been kind of sad/salty that Hylia having wings hasn't been utilized much, thus I turn to fanfiction.


	4. Rise Redux

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sparrow gets nicer clothes.

I woke up in a hammock, swinging gently with a chilled breeze. I sat up, swinging my legs to the side so I could take a look around.

I was in an open air pavilion that looked out over a sunset reflected in the large northern mountain. On the floor, I could see the wolf sitting on the floor, staring at me intently. His tail wagged, and he pushed his nose in my hand. A small child with molting grey feathers stood with a gasp when he saw me awake, running out of the room with a quick ‘good evening’ before returning with a Rito woman with lavender feathers stepped into the pavilion.

“How are you doing, miss?” she asked. She had a kind face and a soft voice.

“I’m fine, I think,” I said, “what happened?”

“You tell me.”

“Teba,” the woman warned, but the man pressed.

“What you did was reckless and could have very easily killed you. What were you thinking?” he scolded, looking down at me with reproach. I curled my hand in my lap and looked down, knowing he was right.

“I wasn’t.”

He opened his beak to speak again, but didn’t get a chance to.

“Teba,” the woman spoke again, this time with a harsh tone that left no room for opposition, “Don’t you think it would be better to ask how she’s doing before you reprimand her? Or perhaps ask her name?”

Teba froze, and proceeded to rub the back of his neck.

“Sorry for putting you on the spot, we’re all on edge since Vah Medoh started circling the village a few days ago. You gave us all a fright, coming from nowhere and flying faster than any of us have ever seen, especially for a hylian-”

“What he means to say,” the woman interjected, “is that we’re rather worried, and if there is anything you need just say the word.”

“I was traveling with a man with blond hair and blue eyes,” I explained, “has anyone like that come by?”

“I’m afraid not,” she said apologetically, then put a hand on Teba’s arm, “but Teba will go down to the stable and make sure they’ll keep a look out for him and send him this way.”

She then gave him a look, prompting him to sigh in surrender. 

“What name should I give the stable?” he asked.

“My name is Sparrow, his name is Wolf.”

He left the room without a word. The woman turned back to me then.

“I must apologize for my husband’s behavior. He’s really just worried about everything with Vah Medoh being active again. You gave him quite a fright, I think. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him as shaken as he did bringing you down.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. The wolf nuzzled my leg, I scratched him behind the ears.

“There’s time enough for all of that later, Sparrow. I’m Saki, can you tell me what happened?”

I explained how I was thrown from my saddle into the canyon. I had gotten to the part where I flew towards the mechanical bird when there was a knock on the wood at the pavilion’s entrance. In walked another Rito woman with bright green plumage with a bundle in her arms. Saki smiled and waved her closer.

“Sparrow, this is Amali.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said, and she nodded with a smile before handing me with the bundle in her hand. 

“I heard about what happened and thought you could use some of my old clothes.”

I looked from the colorful fabric and leather back up to her, flustered, “you don’t have to-”

“It’s fine,” Amali insisted, “They’re from my fledgling days, so they haven’t fit in years. Besides, we couldn’t let you leave you with your clothes in the state that they are.”

Confused, I straightened to examine what I was wearing. The action brought attention to the air hitting my back. 

The back of my shirt had been torn through. Amali and Saki set up some curtains for privacy and showed me how to wrap the cloth and leather around my torso. Most of my back was uncovered, but I figured that if whatever happened in the canyon reoccurred I wouldn’t run into a similar dilemma. They then sat me down on the floor so they could comb through my hair and tie it back. It was pleasant in a way that I didn’t expect, reassuring and peaceful. It was so relaxing that I found myself sharing my experience of my own accord.

“How did you manage to fly anyway? I’ve never seen a hylian do that before.” Amali asked, tucking a headdress behind my ear while Saki ran a comb through my hair.

“I don’t know,” 

“Has anything like this happened before?”

“I don’t know,” I murmured, much to their confusion.

“What?” Saki asked.

“Why not?”

“In all honesty, I don’t know much about myself at all,” I whispered, and everything came rushing out, from the plateau to the mechanical spiders and the shrines.

“Sparrow isn’t your real name is it?”Saki asked.

“I don’t think so,” I said with slumped shoulders. Having a destination had helped keep the aimless desolation at bay, but now that I had reached it without success and without my love I didn’t know what to do.

There was a steady pounding on wood, growing louder as it approached.

It was then Wolf appeared, disheveled and out of breath, gripping the wood of the door like it was a lifeline.

He gave me a once over, and slumped in relief when he saw I wasn't hurt.

"Sparrow?"

"Yes, Wolf?"

“ _Are you trying to kill me_?” he demanded, having too many emotions running through him to express at once, “Do you have any idea how many heart attacks you’ve given me today?”

“Sorry.” He stepped into the pavilion to take my face in his hands.

“It’s okay. But don’t do that to me again. I beg of you.”

“I won’t,” I promised, putting my hands on his chest.

“What would I do without you?” he whispered, putting his forehead against mine.

“I’m sure you would figure something out.”

“I don’t want to.”

He took me in his arms then, holding me tight. Amali left without a word, and Saki said that we were welcome to stay the night and left to join her husband, who was walking down the path.

He let go after several moments, standing with a sigh, “I’m going to see if there’s a cooking pot anywhere I can use.”

He left me so I could have a moment alone. I stretched, trying to get used to the feeling of air hitting my back. If whatever happened this morning could be replicated, I could think of a thousand different ways it could be useful. I wouldn’t need the paraglider, for one thing. And then there was that strange bow. I hadn’t fired one in my distressingly short memory, so I suppose the apparent skill I had wasn’t an impossibility, however surprising it was. I resolved to look more into it after I rested a bit more, at least until Wolf could calm down a bit more after seeing me fall from the sky more than once in a matter of minutes.

I was snapped from my thoughts from hearing my name whispered on the wind. I followed the voice to the next pavilion over, where Teba was engaged in an intense conversation with a Rito man he called Harth. I stepped into the pavilion’s entrance. I went unnoticed, my footsteps silent as they always were.

“If what Saki told us is true, the Vah Medoh began terrorizing us on the same day these two hylians woke up. Don’t you think that’s a bit suspicious?” Harth said.

“I don’t care how if it seems suspicious, anyone who can take out one of Medoh’s canons in a single shot is okay in my book. I say we continue what she started and blow Vah Medoh from the sky while it’s weakened.”

“And how do you plan to do that?” I interjected, causing both Rito to whip there heads around in surprise.

“We’re going to shoot it down,” Teba answered, determination in his eyes. My brow furrowed.

“With what?” I asked.

“Bomb arrows.”

“If that mechanical beast is made from the same material as the shrines, then bombs arrows won’t put a dent in it,” Wolf said as he handed me a plate of meat and veggies. I suppose his search for a cooking pot had been successful.

“What about that bow you shot Medoh with, what happened to that,” Harth asked.

“It’s probably in the lake somewhere,” Teba scoffed. 

“No it isn’t,” I answered. I didn’t have evidence to back my claim, but I just knew that wasn’t it. I pictured the bow as well as I remembered. I did manage to summon a bit of the riser in my hand, but that action alone sent my head spinning. I felt myself swoon, and would have hit the floor if it weren’t for Wolf supporting me with a hand on my back.

“Okay, so that option’s out,” Wolf said, making sure I was steady before letting me go.

“More than that, are we certain attacking it is the best course of action?” I asked over a mouthful of meat. Teba scoffed,

“You sound like the elder, he thinks that we should leave the beast alone since we don’t have enough power to challenge the Champion Revali’s memory-”

“I’m sorry,” Link held up a hand, “Champion Revali?”

“You really have no idea, do you?” Harth said, in disbelief.

“Champion Revali was the greatest warrior in Rito history,” Teba explained, “His unmatched archery prowess set him apart and drew the Golden Princess Zelda’s eye. He was chosen to be Vah Medoh’s pilot. But that was a hundred years ago, and now Vah Medoh is just another reminder of the Calamity, and shoots at anyone who flies too close to it.” 

“This machine had a pilot?” I asked, intrigued. Harth nodded.

“So who's to say that you can’t install a new pilot? Rather than destroy it wouldn’t it be easier to turn it to your side?” Wolf suggested. Teba didn’t look convinced.

“If you  _ do _ manage to shoot Vah Medoh out of the sky,” I said, a thought having occurred to me, “how will you control it’s descent so it doesn’t destroy the village in the process?”

Both Harth and Teba froze. They hadn’t thought of that, and I’d imagine thinking that they might have inadvertently destroyed the very village they were trying to protect would be terrifying indeed.

“In any case, you said that the machine shoots at anything flying close to it, has it attacked anyone who doesn’t?” I asked. Harth shook his head.

“As long as we fly low enough, it keeps to itself.”

“That doesn’t mean we should just leave it there,” Teba grumbled. I nodded.

“I agree, I know first hand how much of a hazard it can be. That being said, I think it’s safe to assume that we have more time.”

“More time for what?” Teba asked, “the more time it spends up there the greater chance it has to hurt someone.”

“We could study the mechanical beast,” I proposed, “I think if we study the type of technology used to build the beast, then we might figure out a way to dismantle it in a way that keeps everyone out of harm's way.”

“Do you mean to visit the other Divine Beasts?” Harth asked.

“There are more?” Wolf asked.

“Vah Medoh is one of four that the Sheikah built, the other Divine Beasts can be found in other regions. I think the closest one is in the Gerudo Desert. Though I can’t imagine the others being more accessible,” Teba said.

I pondered for a moment, “Do we know if the mechanical spiders are also made by these Sheikah?”

“Most call them guardians, but yeah.”

“Then we’ll start there, with something smaller,” I concluded.

“If you're looking for guardians, then you should start at Hyrule Field,” Teba suggested, “Most of them are just hunks of metal, since that’s where Princess Zelda made her last stand, but some still fire the odd laser, so most travelers avoid that region.”

“There’s a tower there anyway,” Wolf added. I nodded, that seemed as good a plan as any.

We dispersed for the night, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that my love swung himself into the hammock next to me and curled around my back. It was a welcome gesture in the chilled northern night. It wasn’t long until his breathing evened out, but I decided to read a bit before bed.

_ On some of the darker days, I like to pretend that you are not gone from this world, my dearest Zelda. It helps to keep despair at bay, to think that you are not dead, merely sleeping until the time is right. It’s a nice dream, a comforting one, but ultimately still just a dream. Deep down I know this is just my attempt to lessen my shame, to pretend I may have a chance to give my apologies to you in person. Alas, it will have to wait until I pass on from this world.  _

_ It’s a small solace, but I’m glad that Link was with her, right up to the very end. At the very least she wasn’t alone. _

My eyes focused on the name Link for a few moments. Something about it struck a chord.

“Link,” I whispered aloud. The wolf raised his head and wagged his tail a bit. I smiled.

“You like that? You want to be Link?”

He gave a low, affectionate growl, then stood so I could hand him the journal. I scratched him behind the ears before he left to put the journal with my pack.

“Goodnight, Link,” I said, and closed my eyes when Wolf’s arms tightened around me and sighed into my hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Teba and Saki seem like an interesting couple because Saki is very polite whereas Teba is pretty blunt when you first meet him.  
> Also Wolf Link is obligated to make sure Zelda is okay because she's Zelda. He dealt with a lot of stuff in his hero days, this Link can sort himself out for a few hours to.


	5. Toil

After a few days of travel we were coming up to the Jeddo bridge when we heard an accordion playing in the distance. 

“That must be Kass! Let’s go say hi,” I said, before urging Starlight to go just a bit faster.

We found him playing his tune on a strange pedestal like rock formation. 

“Good to see you again, Kass!” I called out to him. He paused his song before looking down at us.

“Ah! Forgive me for not noticing you earlier, dear travelers! I was lost in my song. I dare say you’ve been to visit my hometown since last we spoke. I hope you found the Rito village to your liking?”

“Very much so,” I said, “the people there were quite hospitable, in fact, we spoke with Amali. She wishes for your safe travels.” 

Kass smiled at the mention of his wife, “I miss her terribly, but alas I mustn't return home until I have learned of all the ancient songs Hyrule has to sing of the ancient hero. I know a song about this place. Would you like to hear the ancient verse passed down in this region?”

The tune in question turned out to be a riddle that I surmised was encouraging us to fire an arrow through at least two of the ringed rocks that littered the area. After listening to Kass’s performance I urged Starlightoff the road so I could give the rocks a closer look.

“That there! On your hip!” I turned to Kass, assuming that he was referring to the slate that hound on my hip. I was about to comment on it, but Kass shook his head before I could.

“Never mind, now that’s not the time.”

I shrugged and dismounted, letting Starlight graze while I grabbed my bow and examined the rocks. I knelt behind one of the westernmost rocks and aimed through it through another a few feet higher. I loosed my arrow, sending it sailing through both rings. I straightened, looking around to see if it triggered anything. 

Then, quite suddenly, there was a rumble in the ground. I braced my feet farther apart, but didn’t panic. I recognized this tremor as the same kind that rang throughout the land when the towers burst forth from the ground. To my right, I could see the orange glow of the top of a shrine rise up out of the ground. As soon as the earth stilled I strode toward it, Wolf close behind. 

* * *

After a day of various experiments and observations, I could say with confidence that the guardians’ targeting system, while highly sophisticated, was purely visual. It didn’t react to noise of any kind, even the bombs’ explosion couldn’t draw a reaction unless they were in range of the blast. They didn’t seem to notice Wolf walking over their backs either, so I came to the conclusion that blinding a guardian would render it docile, though we kept a close watch on it’s eye anyway.

My second observation was that for all the devastation their blasts caused, they couldn’t lead a target, instead relying on the speed with which they fired after locking on to their prey. This meant that if someone could move fast enough they could avoid any danger, perhaps even switching directions swiftly enough would work.

I wrote that down in the journal, if the Rito could manage to avoid the blasts from Vah Medoh, then they had a much greater chance of survival.

The next step of my research took things a bit further. It took a bit of trial and error, but after finding an old metal shutter long enough and the use of both magnesis and stasis, we managed to separate a guardian's head from its body. The guardian head fired a shot when it hit the ground, which meant that the weapons system was capable of acting independent of the body. Then I was able to inspect the insides of the machine. I found that the device had two cores of varying size that seemed to act as the machine’s power source, a smaller core was connected to the weapons system exclusively while the body of the machine I dissected was once powered by a now rusted and dull giant ancient core. I wouldn’t be able to tell until I could get my hands on a functioning sample, but I would venture a guess that it was responsible for the machine’s past mobility.

This was promising. If I could learn how to connect the cores to the machinery myself, I was confident I could minimize the laser into a weapon system of my own. I took out the individual components from another dissected guardian and began to tinker with the individual components. If they were receiving power from the core, they would light up, so I spent the rest of the day trying different configurations, keeping the eye well away from my workstation after discovering that it would fire a shot every time a connection with a power source was established.

“Hey! I think I see one of the other Divine Beasts!” Wolf exclaimed. I looked up from tinkering with the machine’s head to follow his finger to what we’d been told was Death Mountain.

I managed to spot the moving shadow across the volcano’s surface. I took out the slate just in time to focus the scope on the mechanical lizard’s foot stepping into a river of lava without the slightest hint of hesitation. We stared up at it for a moment.

“Let’s save that one for later,” Wolf suggested.

“Good idea.”

* * *

I was restless that night. I twisted in Wolf’s embrace, looking up at the cloudless sky when sleep evaded me. It seemed ironic, in the sweet stillness, that the peace I needed to fall asleep was far from reach. On the other side of the campfire, Link was awake as well, looking out over the lake.

I slipped out of Wolf’s arms, stretching in an attempt to banish the restlessness from my limbs. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, savoring the cool air on my skin. I felt a breeze slide along the field, lifting the ends of my hair along with it. I felt something stir within my chest and dance along my back. I turned to the northwest where the region’s tower rose orange into the sky. Wolf had scoped it out in the afternoon, but it wasn’t registered since I had used the slate during the day. I grabbed the paraglider and whispered a quiet “I’ll be back” Link’s way before slipping away into the trees.

It was the first time I had been awake past sundown since I woke up, and I was mildly surprised at how I took to the shadows like a bird to the breeze. My steps were as soundless as they’d always been, so when I walked I didn’t worry about disturbing the wildlife around me. I decided then that whatever life I had lived before must have been in the shadows. Perhaps I was a spy, or even an assassin. It would certainly explain my skill with a bow. The more I thought about it, the more sense it made. Wolf, without a doubt, was a warrior of some sort, the scars on his body made little sense otherwise. I formed a bit of a hypothesis as I walked further and further away from camp.

Wolf and I were combatants, he was a close quarters fighter and I specialized in ranged combat, a sniper perhaps. While Wolf had several different types of scars, but one of the more prominent ones was almost identical to the one that stretched across my rib cage, which led me to believe that we fell at the end of the same weapon. I wasn’t certain, but I think that Wolf and I were considered a team, or perhaps we acted otherwise in tandem, and that was why we were placed together. Perhaps we were regarded as the best in our respective fields, and that was why we were placed in the Shrine of Resurrection and our skills were deemed necessary for a mission of some sort.

To the north, the beast slammed against its cage.

I came out of the trees and approached the ruins that surrounded the tower, picking my way through the uneven terrain, taking special care not to twist my ankle in the low light. I sped up the tower, making record time since I didn’t have to hide from any monsters as I did the Ridgeland Tower. I put the slate in it’s pedestal, looking out over the land as the map downloaded.

By the Goddess, look at that endless sky.

I stowed the slate on my belt, and after double checking that I had the paraglider with me just in case, I ran to the edge of the tower at full tilt and threw myself over the edge.

The wings came out as soon as I was in the air, and I glided on instinct. I was a bit unstable, so I landed on the remains of the garrison tower, wobbling a bit on my feet as I got used to the feeling of having two extra limbs spouting from my back.

I was surprised by their size, I had assumed they would be about as long as my arm span, like the Rito. Instead, my wingspan seemed to be about twenty feet across. The beat of my wings stirred up the air around me as I gained my balance and displaced the grass below my perch on the tower. I stroked the soft white feathers, vaguely reminded of the stone statue in the crumbing Temple of Time.

After getting my bearings, I launched into the sky, it was one thing to glide, it was quite another to fly. I soared over the field, wind whipping through my clothes and hair. I looked down to the land below, and noticed that before they were shut down, the guardian’s seemed to converge at the Sacred Grounds. I descended to the crowd’s epicenter, wings dissipating as soon as I landed.

I wanted to search the guardian husks for spare parts, but after only a few moments of standing in that spot I began to break out in a cold sweat and my hands were shaking. I looked around the field, trying to pinpoint the source of my unease. I looked up at the castle and found that the beast, with hateful, murmurous eyes was staring directly down at me.

An instinct deep inside me bid me to call the glowing bow to my hands before I remembered that I didn’t have the strength to do it. I only managed to call the riser to my fingers before it shattered in my hands. 

Dizzy and weakened, I took off running the other way, wings taking me up into the sky as I fled in a blind panic. I was too distraught to fly straight, and ended up crashing into Lake Kolomo in one chilled, suffocating splash.

I struggled to the surface, gasping as I swam to the shore where I saw our dying campfire, my vision blurry from water and exhaustion.

I heard Wolf wading into the water, and he grabbed my arms, pulling me to him and gathering me in his arms as he walked us back towards our camp.

I stripped off my soaked clothing while Wolf rekindled the fire, he didn’t pry, but I made a mental note to tell him what I’d been doing in the morning. Using a spear and a few branches to make a makeshift rack I hung my clothes out to dry. I heard Wolf's belt unbuckle as he followed my lead and hung his clothes out. I knelt near the fire, relishing in the heat of the flames while I squeezed the water out of my hair while blankly watching Link melt into the shadows to hunt.

I gasped when I felt a gentle brush of fabric against my back. Wolf rubbed our spare blanket in an attempt to mop up the excess water from my skin. I continued to wring my hair, relaxing into his hands. After a moment he finished and the blanket was lowered. 

I expected him to return to the bedroll, but instead I felt his hands come to rest on my hips and his lips caress my neck. I shivered against him, and leaned into his chest and tilted my head to the side in a silent bid to continue, to which he happily obliged. His arms wrapped around my waist, his hand tracing the skin on my stomach. I put my hands over his, humming when he hit a sweet spot. As he continued, I was no longer content to face away from him and twisted in his embrace.  I put my arms around his shoulders and kissed him, putting one of my hands in his hair and started rubbing my nails on his scalp. Wolf grabbed the backs of my thighs to pull me into his lap with a growl. I gasped into his mouth, and felt his tongue slide along mine. I pressed my chest against him, wanting to be as close to him as possible.

He shifted underneath me, and he turned to gently lower me down to lay on the bedroll, one arm braced by my head while one hand ran along my ribs to rest on my hip. I leaned my head back while he nuzzled the side of my neck, moaning when his tongue darted out of his mouth to run along my skin. 

For all the shrill delights his mouth offered, Wolf’s affection instilled a peace and security that banished the last of the unease caused by the beast’s stare. With that warm reassurance came a drowsiness as the exhaustion of learning to fly began to drag at my eyelids. 

Wolf noticed my hands slacken in his hair and on his back and pulled back to look at me with dazed concern, “You okay?”

I hummed a sleepy affirmative, but he noticed my struggle to keep my eyes open. I felt a chuckle rumble through his torso, and after giving me a sweet kiss on my forehead and a quiet ‘goodnight’ he settled beside me and pulled me to him. The last thing I remember that night was tucking my head under his chin while his hand pressed against the small of my back.

* * *

Instead of focusing solely on weaponry, I decided to begin with a more comprehensive examination of the guardians. It started simple, flipping the decapitated head upside down so I fine tune my understanding of how to trigger the laser. Wolf, while clearly not cut out for research himself, was immeasurably helpful in his search for spare parts and marking down the partially functional guardians in the Slate’s map when I wasn’t using it. Link the wolf busied himself with hunting game for us to eat throughout the day. The steady supply of meat meant that my love and I were quickly approaching a healthy weight, and I noticed that I was slower to fatigue than when I first woke up.

By the end of the third day I could fire the guardian’s laser at will by twisting a shaft Wolf had found that I managed to stick through the gear. This provided the unexpected benefit of controlling the intensity of the projectile. Rather than firing off a single shot at full blast, I could instead provide a steady stream of continuous, if less powerful, heat. At first I tested the effect of this low intensity laser on various materials. It set cloth on fire in an instant, but was less unforgiving on wood, cutting through trunks in an instant but leaving most of the wood intact. 

The biggest breakthrough, however, was how I could melt the metal guardians.

It required patience and a steady hand, but it meant that with enough time and preparation the scraps of metal could be reused. 

With this in mind I decided that I would one day try to alter the guardians to serve our purposes, rather than just try to find different uses for the same machine. I began filling up the journal’s pages with ideas for possible applications. I already could cut some of the legs off of one guardian to meld it to the shell of the guardian I had dissected. I was confident that with time I could make any number of devices to suit whatever needs may arise.

For the time being, however, I needed to craft a weapon capable of weakening Vah Medoh. It was a simple enough task, in all honesty, made all the more easy by the revelation that the weapon system was already far smaller than what I’d originally assumed, and the wiring was easily repurposed once cores were detached. The biggest hurdle was the design. My first thought was to attach the eye to the hand or arm of the user, but decided against it when I considered the logistics of giving it to the Rito and their wings since flapping them caused too much risk for a misfire, so I decided it would have to be a handheld contraption. I couldn’t resist cobbling together a weaponized gauntlet for myself though. 

For Teba and Marth I made a crossbow like machine that connected the core to the eye by looping the wiring through an ancient spring that would have to be contracted to trigger the laser. In order to decrease the risk of accidents, I made sure that the eye wouldn’t be connected to the core unless the trigger was activated. For me, that meant connecting the wiring to my thumb with a cord so the circuit wouldn’t be closed unless I clenched my fist. For the Rito, I made sure that the wire looped through the spring was short enough to break the circuit when it was extended, but long enough to close it when the spring was contracted. I ended up adding an ancient screw to the wider end of the spring, where I had attached the eye, so it was easier to pull the spring back. 

After another day spent fine tuning my design and testing them out to make sure they wouldn’t explode apart upon usage, we packed up and headed back to Rito Village.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Link the Wolf: *sees clothes coming off* Oh I know where this is going.*books it*
> 
> But also can you imagine if Zelda was allowed on the R and D department back before the Calamity?
> 
> Anyway if you want to see the messy doodle I did for this series go here:  
> https://lorelylantana.tumblr.com/post/623688656007430144/heres-a-messy-sketch-dump-based-on-the-subtleties


	6. The Sixth Champion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sparrow Conquers a Divine Beast with her assistants Teba and Harth.

We reached the Flight Range in the dead of night, but Teba and Harth were wide awake. 

“Saki said you’d be here,” I said by way of greeting, startling them both out of their conversation.

“Ah, you've returned. Did you have any updates for us? We’ll take any tips and tricks you have to offer.” Teba asked, setting down the bow he was adjusting. I explained the behavioral trends I’d noticed, letting them have a look at the journal I’d written my findings in. Behind us, Wolf climbed the ladder with my creations, handing one to me so I could demonstrate how it worked.

“Rather than using bows and arrows, I thought we might be more successful if we gave Vah Medoh a taste of its own medicine.” 

I walked toward the targets, cradling my creation in my arms. I pulled the spring back, closing the circuit and powering the laser, firing a shot that cut through my target and cutting into the rock below. I released the trigger and turned towards my audience. I heard Harth give a low whistle behind me. Teba took the weapon from my hands into his own. Though the weapon was as long as my forearm, it fit snugly in his hand. He took aim and fired. It was slightly off target, but that was expected of a new weapon.

“You came up with this in a few days?” he asked, casting me a look with a raised brow. I nodded, pride swelling in my chest.

“With these two weapons and my gauntlet, we should be able to take out Vah Medoh’s barrier in one fell swoop,” I said, a hand on my hip.

I left them the weapons so they could familiarize the selves with it and rode back to the village with Wolf. 

“Are you sleeping tonight?” I asked as we stepped into the inn. He shook his head, slipping 80 rupees over the counter as I set my pack down by the bed. Wolf had argued that if I was going to face Medoh in the morning, then a good night’s sleep was a sound investment. Wolf took my hand in his as I slipped under the covers, sitting with his back resting against the bed, bringing the back of my hand to his lips.

“I’m going to be fine,” I assured him, knowing that he would worry anyway. Harth had explained that the air currents would be too strong to use the paraglider safely, which meant that he would have to stay behind.

“I know, I just-“ he broke off, “just be careful.”

I nodded, keeping my hand in his as I drifted off the sleep.

* * *

I suppressed a shiver as I soared up to meet Teba and Harth where they were circling in Vah Medoh’s blind spot.

“Remember, they can’t lead a target, so if they’ve locked on, just close your wings and drop as fast as you can,” I reminded them, before adjusting my gauntlet and flying up to the machine. We each flew to a separate canon. I flew up to the farthest one and took aim. My first few shots missed, but I managed to destroy the canon before it fired, the pieces spiraling down to the lake below. 

A few moments later the red barrier dissipated and Vah Medoh flew vulnerable before us. I folded my wings and descended, coming to a clumsy landing next to one of the pillars before letting my wings fall away.

It was disconcertingly quiet. Despite the constant background of wind only added to the feeling of stagnant isolation. It felt like I had stepped into a moment before disaster frozen in time. I looked around, at the center of Vah Medoh’s back was a large hourglass shaped structure that pulsed with a soft orange light. I strode closer to it to get a closer look. 

Upon closer inspection, the structure seemed to be split into parts. The bottom half was made from the same material as the rest of the Divine Beast, engraved with the same wavy design that marked all Sheikah technology. The top, however seemed to be made of Amber. I pressed the slate to the terminal, only for nothing to happen. I looked at the screen, confused.

_Authentication failed. Please register all terminals before activating the main control unit._

Teba and Harth landed beside me.

“Everyone alright?” Teba asked, nodding when we both shook our heads. He turned to me then.

“What’s our next move?” he asked. I considered.

“It seems that we need to find terminals of some sort. Either way, we should take a look around.”

We dropped down into the belly of the beast, where I could see a terminal on the other side of the chamber. The inside of the beast was too small to justify summoning my wings once more, so I just used magnesis to make a path for me. I looked at the terminal while the Rito warriors went to the wings. After placing the slate up to the pedestal a schematic appeared on the screen with three different dashes to one side. Out of curiosity, I tapped one of them. The machine began to rumble and quake under my feet. Immediately I braced my legs wider and made sure to keep a firm hold on the slate until it stopped with a high pitched cry. I straightened then, and noticed that the Divine Beast had shifted a bit on the screen.

“What the hell was that?!” Harth squawked, echoing throughout the beast. Startled out of my thoughts I turned around, only to find that the entire beast was now skewed to one side.

“My fault!” I cried, and the two archers reconvened where I stood. I explained how the beast was connected to the slate.

“So that’s it then,” Teba asked, “we control the beast?”

I shook my head, “I can alter Vah Medoh’s configuration, I can’t steer it completely. I say we find all of the terminals and see what happens when we star the main control unit.”

“Well, you got us this far, we’ll follow your lead,” Teba agreed. 

“I found a terminal over there,” Harth piped up, pointing back the way he came.

We worked our way through the terminals together, I used the slate to solve a few puzzles while Teba flew to the terminal inside Vah Medoh’s wingtip. Once we had registered all of the terminals we revisited the main control unit. I tapped the slate to the engraved surface and was promptly thrown backward by filthy, menacing wind that burned. I heard Teba and Marth scramble to get their bearings as I stood back up just in time to watch a writhing mass form from the same bits of gunk that we’d seen and avoided inside the beast. The creature let out a blood curdling screech that threatened to split my ears. I immediately took to the sky, hoping to get a better look. 

It was an amalgamation of technology and corruption, bulging and dripping across the floor, singing the moss that had grown below it.

Teba blasted at it’s side, drawing it’s attention before taking to the sky himself, Harth not far behind. I dove towards it, drawing the sword I had strapped to my hip at Wolf’s insistence and slashing at it until it regained enough awakened to recoil, dissipating into strips of blue before reforming on the other side of Vah Medoh. I took to the skies again, and all three of us were hammering away at its body, taking advantage of our numbers by having two of us attack while one held the abomination’s attention, but it wasn’t doing as much damage as I’d hoped.

“This isn’t working!” Teba shouted over the violent cacophony. I thought for a moment. Taking precautions in the short term was only prolonging the battle, which only made the risk of injury greater.

“Fall back!” I called back, and they spread their wings and angled them to take them higher out of range. Instead of following them, I swooped around the blight, coming around to look it right in the eye. The blight and I raised our arms in tandem, but I didn’t wait to fire as long as it did, and shot it right in the eye.

It crumpled with a scream, and I ran to hack at it again. Once again it recoiled and distanced itself from me. It reformed and summoned a flock of drones. I flew up again, trying to spot the new pattern. I wasn’t prepared for the flurry of projectiles headed my way, and since my wings were so much larger than the others it was an inevitability that one of the lasers shot through my left wing. 

Unlike my first run in with Medoh, however, I was ready. I whipped the paraglider out with a snap, turning my freefall to a controlled descent that took me close enough to the blight to send all of the drones crashing against the wall with a single smack of my intact wing before coming to a hard landing. I banished the remaining wing before taking aim at it’s eye and firing again.

This time, instead of falling to the ground, it began to curl in on itself, writhing and shrieking before exploding in a ball of light.

I heaved a sigh, feeling shaky and exhausted from the battle, but no less triumphant as Teba and Harth cheered from above before landing, Teba slapping me on the back in congratulations.

We didn’t celebrate for long before a loud crack rang out around us. I spun around to the main control unit, where the top half was starting to come apart. We watched as bits and pieces of amber fell away and scattered around the floor until the last bits of it burst apart and a shadow crashed on the floor. I stepped through the sparking bits of amber to take a closer look and was greeted with the sight of a Rito man with a deep blue plumage, leaking blood onto the moss and stones beneath him. I rushed to his side then, finding the source of the blood and pressing a doublet into the gash on his thigh.

“One of you fly down and get a medic! Now!” I shouted back, and Teba dove off the side of the beast without hesitation. Harth on the other hand, seemed to be in a daze. I saw him rummage around some of the amber, now blazing in the sunset, and picked up a blue bow that was tipped in gold, a scrap of bright blue fabric tied on one of the ends.

“It’s him,” he whispered, eyes wide as he gripped the bow in his hands with a quiet reverence which I thought seemed highly inappropriate when the bow’s master was currently bleeding out on the floor.

“What?” I asked, irritation coloring my words. He looked to me then, looking like he’d seen a ghost.

“That’s the Champion Revali.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You want the Champions?  
> I'll GIVE you the Champions.  
> I'll give you ALL THE CHAMPIONS!  
> But not for several more chapters.


	7. Legend of the Gerudo

“He won’t be for much longer if we don’t get a medic here soon!” I snapped, which yanked him back to reality.

“What can I do?” he asked. We switched places so I could make sure the Divine Beast didn’t crash into a mountain. I picked up the slate, steering us back to Rito Village before switching it to autopilot. I then gathered all of the amber in one spot to give the doctor room.

Teba returned with Saki in tow. Without a word she set to work on her new patient. I asked if there was anything else I could do, but was waved away. 

I turned to Teba, “I don’t suppose you stopped to tell anyone  _ why _ we needed a medic, did you?”

“No. Should I have?”

I shook my head. Objectively, I knew that getting a medic as fast as possible was the right call. That didn’t stop the flood of guilt at the thought of Wolf hyperventilating.

“Are you sure you don’t need anything else?” I asked Saki. She nodded.

“The wound’s severe, but stable. We shouldn’t move him, but I don’t think his life is in danger.”

I threw myself off the Divine Beast without another word.

I dove through the air for a minute before calling my wings to my back just in time to ease my descent into the most graceful landing yet. I didn’t dwell on my improvement, instead running to the inn where Wolf sat on the floor against the bed I slept in the previous night, his arms buried in Link’s thick fur coat.

“Wolf!” I called, and I was in his arms immediately. He gently ran his hands along my waist, checking for any injuries.

“I’m fine,” I reassured, “I wasn’t the one who needed the medic.”

He only held me tighter, and I stayed in his embrace until he calmed down.

* * *

We stayed in Rito Village for two more days so I could recuperate from the fight for Vah Medoh. I wasn’t injured, but I was certainly sore from the exertion. Saki and Teba flew to and from the Divine Beast at regular intervals, retrieving supplies and updating the villagers on Revali’s state, though other visitors were discouraged. Revali was in a coma for the time being, but I had a feeling that he would wake soon. That said, we couldn’t wait around when there were three other Divine Beasts still posing a threat to the realm.

The knowledge that the other Champions might be similarly trapped lit an inexplicable fire in my chest, and made me all the more eager to get to work. We began our journey south at dawn of the third day, glancing back occasionally to admire the bright blue Vah Medoh now emitted as it circled the village, docile.

Word of our exploits spread like wildfire, the Rito were quick after all, and it seemed like my reputation preceded me, if the whispers around the stables were any indication. It made riding Starlight, with his royal regalia, feel even more flashy. I could feel the stares whenever we approached the stable, a strangely familiar pressure on my shoulders. Instinctively, I made a point of walking over to the counter to address the stable man. The pressure eased, I wasn’t as interesting once they knew what I was there to do. The people of Hyrule were curious, but not nosy.

After arranging our lodging for the night, I went around to the cooking pot, where Wolf was hard at work. Kass was playing a tune nearby. I went over to say hi.

“Well, if it isn’t the Golden Maiden!” Kass greeted with a smile, “I’ve heard of your heroic exploits, and I must thank you for making Rito Village a safer place.”

“Oh I don’t know about heroic ,” I protested, flustered, “I just wanted to have the last laugh against Vah Medoh.”

“Whatever your motivation, there’s no denying the effect your actions have had,” Kass replied, “the Divine Beasts have always given this country a quiet dread, serving as a reminder of all we’ve lost, and what we may yet lose. But now that you’ve shown us that they might be reclaimed, people are walking with a spring in their step.”

I looked away, feeling a few glances on my back.

“We’re headed for the desert,” I answered in the only way I could think of, “We hope to look at the other Divine Beasts, and it seems like the closest one belongs to the Gerudo.”

“Ah, Vah Naboris, the lightning beast,” Kass said, “I’m certain you’ll get a run for your money taking it down. I wish you luck.”

I joined Wolf then, where we shared our meal in relative silence our shoulders pressed together. After I finished off the rice ball in my hand I noticed Wolf staring at the children and their families inside the stable, a thousand miles away.

“Are you alright?” I asked, hand on his knee. He looked at me, the pain in his eyes diminishing slightly.

“What do you think happened to our families?” he wondered, “I feel like I should be grieving, but I don’t know what I’ve lost.”

I was quiet for a minute, trying to find an answer.

“Maybe there’s a way to regain our memories,” I said. He nodded, though he didn’t seem so sure.

“Maybe.”

* * *

It took us a week to get to the mouth of the desert. After I registered the Wasteland Tower and Wolf cleared the Kay Noh shrine we made our way to the Kara Kara Bazaar. After asking around, we were made aware of the Gerudo Town women only policy, which put a bit of a damper on things. I noticed his tense shoulders and clenched jaw when we lay down for the night.

“Do you want to talk about it?” I asked, my breath fanning against his back and sending goosebumps running along his arms. He turned on his back, looking up at the ceiling while I raised myself up in my elbow. 

“It feels like I’m just along for the ride,” he admitted, “every time you have to take care of something, I can’t help you. I just wish I could be helpful.”

“You are helpful,” I insisted, “Vah Medoh was only one Divine Beast, there are three more to go, you’ll get your time to shine.”

“I can’t enter Gerudo Town,” he pointed out.

“Vah Naboris isn’t in Gerudo Town, I’ll speak with their chief about the situation and we’ll take it on together. I doubt they’ll be picky about how Naboris gets reclaimed.” He nodded then, relaxed. Satisfied, I nuzzled into his chest and he wrapped his arm around me.

* * *

I perched on the Gerudo Tower, looking over the desert and sweating under the unforgiving sun. Rather than walk through the burning sands, I’d opted to fly high above where the air was cooler and the wind was a bit kinder, and was able to reach the tower in a matter of minutes. Kass was there, much to my surprise, and he gave me a song that led me to find another shrine below the tower. I didn’t bother walking through it, just pausing to register it in the slate before Returning to my perch on the southern point of the tower. I couldn’t see Vah Naboris, but I saw the storm it created on the eastern side of the desert, a mix of sand and lightning. I stood and rolled my shoulders.

I summoned my wings, much to Kass’s surprise, and leaped off the tower, maintaining my altitude to avoid the desert heat. Once I was directly over the town I spiraled down, landing in front of the gate.

It caused quite the fuss, which wasn’t entirely unexpected considering flying Hylians weren’t generally considered to be within the realm of possibility, but ultimately I was let in without protest. I looked around the town, fascinated and gripped with a strange nostalgia that drove me to wander around the market. To the left, I saw a boutique selling Gerudo style clothing, prompting an idea.

I bought a turquoise set, having more than enough money after selling all of the amber salvaged from Medoh. I was accosted by Frita, a Rito woman wandering around the market, and she was more than happy to run the clothes down to the Bazaar where Link was waiting.

I then climbed the steps to the palace, coming to stand before the Gerudo Chief. The throne room was a welcome break from the desert sun. She was smaller than I had expected. A far cry from the standard Gerudo, she sat on a throne modified for her smaller stature. To her right stood a pedestal topped with a golden helm marked with luminous gems on its face.I stared at it for a moment. I must have seen it before. But where? I forced my attention back on the Chief. It was clear that she had taken the throne much sooner than she should have, a notion that stuck a deeper chord than I could explain. She looked to me, her face propped on her fist.

“Yet another traveler. What are you doing here?” 

“I came to calm Naboris,” I said. The woman next to her slammed her claymore into the ground in protest.

“Such arrogance! Do not think you can waste Chief Riju’s time by spouting wild fantasies! The only people capable of conquering a Divine Beast were the Champions themselves! What hope do you have against Vah Naboris?” the woman challenged.

“Well it just so happens that I have experience in the field!” I snapped, irritated by her condescension, and perhaps by my failure to place the helm in my memory. The woman gripped her claymore in her hands, ready to fire back before the Chief raised a hand to still her.

“Calm yourself Buliara,” she said, then straightened in her seat to appraise me, “I’ve heard tell of a young hylian vai credited with reclaiming Vah Medoh. You must be the Sparrow we’ve heard so much about.”

“I am,” I replied, “It is my hope that my partner, Wolf, and I might calm all of the Divine Beasts.”

“Then we are allies,” she said, “Anyone who’s willing to take down Vah Naboris is a friend of the Gerudo. We should-”

Her next words were lost to me because my attention was stolen by a wicked laugh.

The room was suddenly filled by four crimson clad archers that all appeared in a flash. One appearing right behind my shoulder. 

Buliara immediately called for the guards before moving to shield the throne, and I spun around, ramming my elbow into the face of the assailant behind me hard enough to crack the mask beneath it. I drew the royal broadsword I was carrying and ran to the enemy that had appeared behind one of the statues by the door. He leaped into the air and aimed his bow right for me, but I rolled away in time to dodge it, coming up right when he landed so I could slash my blade across his ribs. I thrusted when he recoiled, but he leaped away and disappeared before I could finish him off. I turned back to the throne where the guards stood with their spears raised, unable to predict where and when the intruders would appear. 

I saw an archer appear between me and the pedestal, and I rushed forward, sinking my blade into his belly. I heard another chuckle from behind me, only this one was a low rumble. I turned to face this new opponent. 

Unlike the lithe archers, this brute carried a long blade with holes carved into it. He swung down, sending a wave of energy my way. I dodged with a step back, only for my foot to land on the edge of the shallow pool. 

I fell down with a shout, the pain in my ankle dismissing any thoughts of standing back up again. The brute stalked forward, and I reached into my pack, slipping my gauntlet on my hand.

He raised a hand to take hold of the golden helm, and I fired a shot into his thigh, singing crimson fabric and burning a hole in his leg. 

He fell back, disappearing in a flash, and the rest of the intruders followed, leaving the room in relative peace.

* * *

I sprained my ankle.

It could have been worse, I suppose. Still, that didn’t make it any less aggravating when the doctor informed me that while I could walk on it, anything more strenuous was out of the question for a few more days, especially in the desert sand. Which meant that reaching Vah Naboris would be nothing but a dream for the next few days. I suppose I could try to fly to it, but with that sandstorm I was more likely to crash right into it than accessing it. Besides, I learned my lesson with Vah Medoh, and wasn’t keen on approaching a Divine Beast blades swinging again.

At the very least I could recuperate in comfort, as a reward for my assistance in banishing what I now knew to be Yiga Clansmen I was allowed to stay at Hotel Oasis free of charge, I was even set to spend the next day in the spa. I was just setting my things down when there was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” I called, and Wolf stepped in the room, shutting the door behind him. I’ll admit, the blue silks did look good on him, but I also didn’t miss how he would fidget and finger the veil that covered his jawline.

“Did the guards give you trouble?” I asked.

“No.”

“I’m glad,” I said, he gave a pointed look to the bandage on my ankle. I walked past him to prove that it wasn’t as bad as it looked.

“Follow me, Chief Riju is expecting us.”

He followed me into the throne room, where Riju sat on her throne, but this time surrounded by a few more guards.

“How are you recovering?” she asked, brows drawn together in worry.

“Nothing that a few days rest won’t fix,” I said, smiling as best I could.

“I’m relieved, truly,” Riju breathed, losing herself for a moment, before straightening and getting back to the task at hand.

“I understand that you’ll want to wait until you’re recovered to reclaim Naboris, but in the meantime is there anything you would have us do?”

I held up a hand, “There’s no need to wait for me, my friend here is more than capable of conquering the Divine Beast.”

“Are you certain?” Riju asked, regarding Wolf with an appraising stare.

“Of the two of us, Wolf is actually the one who excels in close range combat, so physical prowess isn’t an issue. But when you go to Naboris you should bring a medic along.”

“If your companion is so skilled, then why do we need a medic?” Buliara asked dryly.

“Because we have reason to believe that Vah Naboris’s Champion is still alive, if gravely wounded.”

Riju leaned forward, “Lady Urbosa is alive, after all these years?”

I nodded, “I believe so, yes. When I defeated the Windblight a cluster of amber fell apart to reveal the Champion Revali. He was unconscious, but he was breathing, and we received word that he woke up the day after we departed for Gerudo Town. Presumably he’s still recovering.”

“If there’s a chance for Lady Urbosa to return to us, then we should calm Naboris as soon as possible,” Riju insisted.

A guard came in, set down a chest, and left after giving a salute to the Chief. She turned to me then, coming off her throne to take my hands in hers.

“On behalf of the Gerudo I extend my deepest gratitude to you, Sparrow. In facing the Yiga and safeguarding the Thunder Helm, you have shown bravery and cunning unlike any Hylian vai we have ever known, save for one,” she gestured to the chest at my feet, “Lady Urbosa had those garments made as a gift to the mighty Princess Zelda, who tragically met a warrior’s demise before she could receive them. However, I think she would be pleased to know that they were worn by someone of your skill and valor. Wear them with pride, Sparrow, and know that the Gerudo shall forever be your ally.”

Inside the chest was a breastplate much like Buliara’s, but rather than the curved petals on hers this armor was decorated with a flower with five pointed petals with streaks of blue in their center. The skirt matched, embroidered with the same white flower on its asymmetrical hem.

It was beautiful, and after discussing our plans to approach Naboris the next day I returned to my room, eager to try it on.

Strangely enough, they fit like a glove.


	8. Discovery

I spent the next day seeing the sights that Gerudo Town had to offer. I spent a fair amount of time talking to Rotana, a scholar who lived behind the hotel. From there, I overheard women talking about a secret shop that sold slightly legal goods. Curiosity peaked, I took note of the passcode they whispered and investigated.

I was rewarded with access to a store that sold clothes for men. I bought the set of voe armor, eager to see Wolf try it on once he returned from Naboris. On my way to drop my purchase off at the hotel, I noticed a lavishly dressed woman look out of sorts. This led to an exchange that ended with me receiving a lovely pair of amber earrings. By the time I was done with the spa I sat with some of the soldiers beneath a tarp in their training yard to wait for Wolf’s return. I took hold of the golden bow that leaned against the water trough to examine it further, comparing it to that mighty bow I had wielded for just a brief moment against Vah Medoh.

I took a deep, bracing breath before attempting to call it to my hands once again. I could call the riser to my hands with little to no strain, but any further attempt to expand caused my head to swim. On one hand progress was progress, on the other I wasn’t quite sure what I could do with an incomplete bow. I suppose I could bludgeon my enemies with it, but that was far from preferable.

There was a shift in the atmosphere, like the sun rising. I looked out over the was with a shiver.

“Did you feel that?” I asked the soldier next to me. She shook her head, not bothering to look up from her spear. Unable to wait a moment longer I launched into the sky, and was met with the sigh of Vah Naboris glowing blue in the fading light, restored. I flew towards it, angling my descent to land on one of the balconies, landing as softly as possible, though I couldn’t stop the rush of pain in my ankle.

I strode around to the large, circular opening and took a peek inside the Divine Beast. I spotted Wolf and Riju on a platform by the main control until, and walked over to join them. The medic they brought was quickly bandaging a gash on a red headed woman I assumed was Champion Urbosa surrounded by amber. Riju took off her Thunder Helm and set it by the woman’s hand before helping Wolf clear away the shattered amber. I noticed that Wolf had changed into the Gerudo voe armor, so that must have been a fun conversation.

“I take it you were successful,” I said by way of greeting.

“More so then I dared to hope,” Riju admitted, “I’ll admit, I was skeptical of your claim that Lady Urbosa yet lived. But now she is returned to us, and perhaps she can be the leader the Gerudo deserve.”

“You’ve served admirably, Chief,” the medic protested, but Riju shook her head.

“Not admirably enough. Perhaps Lady Urbosa’s presence will give me an opportunity to grow into someone worthy of my title.”

Vah Naboris lurched to a stop absent of any instructions. I turned to Wolf to ask him for the slate so I could set it to autopilot when I noticed a cluster of burned skin on his back.

“Wolf!” I shouted rushing to lift his shirt away from the charred flesh below. There was a starburst of burnt skin

“I’ll live,” he insisted, “The Thunderblight got a lucky shot.” but I ignored him to take a closer look, putting a hand on his ribs to steady him.

My attention was brought to the collection of energy that had grown with each visit to the shrines. On instinct I gently guided to his back, where it spread into the damaged areas before spreading throughout the rest of his body, wiping the wound clean from his back and reinforcing the rest of his body and renewing his vigor.

“How’d you do that?” He asked, bouncing in his place and shaking his limbs out.

“I used the energy you’ve collected from the shrines.” I answered with a shrug.

“Yeah but how?” he asked, incredulous. I shrugged. Yet another mystery I had no way of solving.

After receiving the approval of the doctor, we thought it best to move the Champion Urbosa back to Gerudo Town where she could be thoroughly cared for. This meant steering the mechanical camel westward to the city, but not so close as to put the citizens in danger while we descended. 

Brining Naboris to rest wasn’t nearly so jarring as I’d anticipated, though it was still fairly jarring. Champion Urbosa was transported to the infirmary without issue, and with Riju’s permission I steered the Divine Beast back towards the desert’s entrance. The doctor had advised against walking or surfing out of the desert with my injury. I had tried claiming that I could fly out, but Wolf wasn’t having it, and after the rough landing I couldn’t argue.

Thus, it was decided to let Vah Naboris do the walking for us. I was dropped off at the stable where I would wait for Wolf to return Vah Naboris to Gerudo Town where it would lay in wait for Lady Urbosa’s awakening. As for Wolf and I, we would be venturing towards the fabled Blatchery Plain. Frita had mentioned how she could see Vah Ruta, the Zora Divine Beast, was submerged in the middle of a reservoir, which meant that it would be inaccessible. My current plan was to modify the guardians into transportation of some sort, thinking that the remaining Divine Beasts would be more tolerant of the approach of other pieces of Sheikah technology than Hylians.

Thus, I was dropped off at Gerudo Canyon and settled with my journal to wait for Wolf’s return the next day. I began to sketch various ideas down for my new project, but without the knowledge of how they moved I couldn’t make much progress. I flipped to the font half of the journal where I had marked my space.

_ Leah came to visit me today, she came to let me know that she stepped down from her duties as mayor of Zelda’s Haven, hoping to help Purah with her research. Evidently they are attempting to reverse the aging process. She said that I was welcomed to join in as well, but I am weary, and I don’t think I could live with my sins for more than one lifetime. _

I felt a hand on my shoulder before I could read any further. Startled, I look up, only to find Wolf’s grinning eyes staring back at me.

“I didn’t expect you until tomorrow morning!” I exclaimed. He then explained how a closer look at the slate’s map led to the accidental discovery of the slate’s fast travel function. Even if my newfound control of the spirit orbs wasn’t a reason to focus more on shrines, the fast travel was enough to keep a sharper eye on our surroundings. 

Unfortunately, it seemed like only one person could fast travel at a time, but since I could fly that wasn’t a dealbreaker. Rather than spend the night at the stable we decided to ride through the night, keeping my ankle out of the stirrup. When we camped for the night Wolf helped me dismount, putting his hands on my hips to ease my descent. He didn’t really feel like sleeping that night, so he went hunting after dinner with the intent to make jerky 

We reached the Dueling Peaks late the next day. Since I was still on doctors orders to limit the strain on my ankle for a few more days I ended up riding through the field instead of walking on what must have been a road before it was left to fade away. There wasn’t a stable nearby anyway. The clearing was absolutely littered with ruins, and when I found the remains of a stone bridge I found it strange that such a tranquil place could be dangerous. This turned out to be said too soon, as the second we rounded the hill I locked eyes with an active, walking guardian.

I urged Starlight into a gallop, heading east in an attempt to keep the targeting beam perpendicular to our path, shouting for Wolf to split up, but he was at the end of another guardian’s gaze. In spite of the perilous situation, I couldn’t deny that I was impressed with how quickly they moved, crawling along on six legs which made them remarkably agile. That said, it seemed like the guardians would try to keep a fair bit of distance between themselves and their target, primarily moving to get a better shot. As I moved further away, the guardian ended up directly behind me, so I turned south just in time to avoid the laser that slammed into the dirt behind me. I raised the hand with my gauntlet to fire a shot, hitting it right in the eye and sending it reeling in shock. I looked around then, catching sight of the ruins of an old fortress and turned back in that direction, Starlight leaping straight over it. By the time the guardian had recovered I had disappeared into the trees. Thankfully Wolf had followed shortly after, but we ran into another guardian on the road ahead.

It was too narrow to repeat my previous strategy, so I urged Starlight into a dead sprint, skirting around the machine and charging ahead, keeping a mental timer and moving to the opposite side of the path just in time to avoid another blinding explosion. Eventually the path we ran went through the bottom of the ravine and we shot through it. The guardian behind us fell back, unable to fit through the gap. 

We didn’t slow our horses until we were deep enough in the woods that I was confident that the trees would hide us from view. I stroked Starlight’s neck, consoling the poor creature before urging him to walk further up the incline. I could see a good portion of the village, including the main road that led up to a lighthouse that was shining proudly against the horizon. Eventually we came upon a fenced in wheat field where a man was hard at work. 

“Hello!” I called, and the man seemed to jump out of his skin.

“What- where did you two come from?”

“The woods,” Wolf replied, out of breath.

“How’d you get past the Burning Field? We haven’t had a traveler come from the west in years, much less alive.”

“We’re currently trying to learn more about ancient Sheikah technology and we were told this was the place to be.”

“You were told right,” the man said, pointing along the fence, “y’all can ride down there to get into the village and the inn is down the road.”

We followed his direction, but rather than head right for the inn we headed for the shrine. At first, Wolf went in himself while I waited outside with Link, scratching him behind the ears before I actually took in the buildings surrounding me.

The buildings in question were these colorful, cuboidal houses in multiple different colors. They also seemed quite uniform. I could see the appeal of such construction. I imagine having a standard method of building helped manage space and resources efficiently. That said, the houses lacked the sort of charm that the majority of the Hateno houses possessed, and my eye was quickly drawn towards a house separated behind the cluster of buildings. I was about to take a closer look when Wolf returned from the shrine with a look of exasperation.

“You do it,” he said before sliding the slate in my hands and sitting next to Link with a huff. Confused, I entered the shrine. If Wolf wanted me to take this one, then it must not have been too physically demanding. It ended up being a motion controlled puzzle. I tilted the slate this way and that, getting a feel for the controls before flipping the device in my hands. It took a couple of tries, but it was done, and I was transported out of the shrine in a couple of minutes.

He didn’t comment on my prompt return, but I suspect he was just relieved that the puzzle was solved. 

“I want to see the house over there, across the bridge,” I said, looping my arm through his and gently tugging him in that direction. He followed with a smile as we crossed the bridge. 

I was shocked to find that the house walls were being hammered away by men with sledgehammers.

“What are you doing?” I asked, unable to keep some disappointment from my voice. Now that I had a better look at the house I had fallen in love. There was a small pond in the shade of a tree a ways away, and a breathtaking view of the Dueling Peaks beyond that. The separation from the rest of the village meant that there was a quiet, intimate atmosphere that was a tremendous relief after weeks of traveling under the reverent, but constantly straining scrutiny of the public eye. The house itself was small, admittedly, but the idea of having a place to call home had shone a light on this hole in my heart. For all of the wonders we had come across in our travels there was a feeling of detachment that was never so stark as it was in that moment,

After we reclaimed the Divine Beasts, where would we go? Returning to the Shrine of Resurrection was out of the question, and traveling for the rest of my life didn’t appeal to me. We had been journeying across the width and breadth of Hyrule, yet every single plan I had was short term. The house in front of me could last longer than this quest of ours.

But not if they kept trying to tear it down.

A balding man came round the corner to see what the fuss was about.

“It’s not a good idea to wander around a destruction site, miss,” he said in a firm, but not unkind voice. 

“It seems a shame to tear down a perfectly good house,” I argued, but he shook his head.

“There’s not a lot of buyers, this land could be turned into wheat fields used to bulk up our stores instead of sitting vacant waiting for an inhabitant that won’t return.”

I looked to Wolf with the question in my eyes. He nodded in wordless agreement. I turned back to the man.

“What if we bought it?” I asked. He put a hand on his hip, skeptical.

“ _ You _ want this house? You’ll find it quite cramped in the future,” he said with a pointed look. I flushed at the implication but pressed on nonetheless.

“We’ve been traveling for more than a month now sir, we just want a place to call home.”

He softened a bit then, and deliberated before making an offer

“Alright look, for you two I’ll cut the price for this house to 3,000 rupees, but only if you can bring me 30 bundles of wood in return.”

“We’ll take it,” I said, and we shook on it. Wolf spent the rest of the afternoon gathering the necessary wood for the transaction while I discussed furnishings with Bolson, ultimately paying extra to have the house completely outfitted. Fortunately it wasn’t really a strain on our finances after selling the heaps of amber we found in the Divine Beasts, and we didn’t have many regular expenses any way, apart from our stays at a stable.

By nightfall, our new home had a bed, door, and lighting. We had other plans, but they would have to wait for the next day. As it stood, we ate outside by the cooking pot before

I took to the skies the next morning with the intention of registering the Hateno and Dueling Peaks Towers, but I ended up extending my errand to include two of the towers I saw to the north. I registered the Lanayru Tower without incident, so I landed on the Akkala Tower just after noon. I decided to eat my lunch here and sketch the flying guardians before heading back to Hateno. I shivered, My Gerudo armor wasn’t made for the chill of the north, so I headed down to the Citadel below, avoiding the parts covered in red filth. I landed on one of the balconies, dissolving the wings off my back and stretching a bit, my gaze wandering to the west. As I focused on the castle spires, I felt something in me rise, causing my head to spin. I turned around, trying to manage this nauseating familiarity by placing what exactly it was about this place that called forth this disorientation. This Citadel was one ruin in a thousand, yet the chord it struck within me threw me back one hundred years. I fell back into the past with a gasp, before the decrepit stone around me built themselves into the mighty walls that made up Hyrule’s military heart.

Once the sun rose the troops gathered for the morning address, forming their ranks in front of a raised dais made of solid wood. Once they were still and waiting I stepped out of the shadows and onto the stage.

I turned to address the crowd of soldiers before me. They held formation, not a one of them dared to move, though there seemed to be a collective deep breath. After searching for me for what was coming on to be months now, the last thing they expected was to see me appearing in the center of Akkala Citadel, breaching their stronghold without the slightest hint of an alarm, instead standing before them where they expected their commander. I breathed in, using my immortal voice so that every soldier, even the ones standing guard, could hear me.

“ **_I trust all of you have heard of me, and you have orders to drag me back to the castle where I am to be caged like a bird until the apocalypse rises. I’m here to tell you that doing so is unwise._ **

“ **_Many of you will feel conflicted defying a member of the royal family, I understand. Under normal circumstances I would applaud such loyalty. But these are trying times, with Calamity over the horizon. Let me make one thing abundantly clear_ ** ;” I stepped on the platform's center, meeting eyes with several soldiers as I spoke, “ **I** **_am Hylia’s blood._ ** **I** **_am the one who will keep Hyrule from ruin. Make no mistake, we are on the brink of war for our very existence. It is crucial, now more than ever, to band together and prepare for the worst, and while I have been traveling to all corners of Hyrule to ensure that everyone does their part the_ ** **King** **_,_ ** ” I spat, pointing to where the spires of Hyrule Castle could be seen rising into the sky, “ **_has done_ ** **nothing** **_!_ ** ”

“ **_Rather than doing what he can to combat Calamity he sits on his throne sending out other men to protect his fragile ego. Let me remind you that each and every one of you swore an oath to protect this kingdom and its people, yet rather than uphold that oath you are being forced to undermine your vow by hunting your Golden Princess down like a_ ** **criminal** **_. Every patrol that blocks my path is yet another obstacle in the road to our salvation._ ** ”

“ **_I’m not here to demand you overthrow the King. Further division is the last thing we need right now. Nor do you need to proclaim your allegiance publicly. All that I ask is that when your princess gives you an order, you obey. Have I made myself clear_ ** ?”

There was a pause, then one by one each soldier raised their right fist and rapped it against their left breast in a growing, ringing salute.

“Then you are dismissed,” I said, walking down the steps in front of me and walking down the aisle formed in between the ranks of soldiers.

I descended the Citadel without a word, where the gatekeepers opened the wrought iron portcullis for me with a salute, closing it again as I passed.

I stumbled a bit as I returned to the moment at hand, falling to my knees and trying to catch my breath as a cold sweat rolled down my forehead to drop onto the stones below.

So I wasn’t a spy then. Or a sniper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Azula's theme plays in the background*  
> In all seriousness, I've noticed that the Link's house is actually rather small when compared to the other houses in Hateno, and the only other houses that size only have two people living in it, leading me to believe that Link's house is something like a bachelor pad, which could explain why there aren't any buyers.


	9. Homestead

I pushed open the door to our little home to find Wolf setting the new table for dinner with Link curled up underneath it.

“I’m Princess Zelda,” I said by way of greeting. He paused in his work, turning to look at me with the pot in his hands.

“The dead one?”

“Yes,” I confirmed, leaning against the doorframe. This realization was too enormous to come to terms with just yet. To be honest, having a single memory was worse than having none at all. I found myself comparing who I am now with the woman who stood in front of an army ordered to capture her and commanded them otherwise. How could I measure up to that? What else had I lost in the hundred years I slept?

“I guess that makes sense,” Wolf said with a smile, setting the pot on the table, “Zelda. Zellllda. Zel-da,” he said, rolling the name around in his mouth before his gaze softened, “My Zelda.”

My cheeks warmed at the tenderness with which he said my name. As soon as he said it I felt my heart slow. Things didn’t have to change between us, and I was desperate to latch onto anything for a sense of normalcy. I crossed the room to wrap my arms around his waist, nuzzling into his chest. He’d let his hair down, and I felt the loose strands tickle my cheek as he set down the ladle to wrap his arms around me.

“How are you feeling?” he murmured, running a hand up and down my back.

“Tired” I admitted, focusing on Wolf’s heartbeat.

Over dinner I told him in detail what I saw in Akkala Citadel, and curled up together by the hearth I had installed. He didn’t press, which I was grateful for, only listened to what I was willing to share. I fell asleep in his arms, drained from the day’s revelations. 

The next day came and Wolf climbed up to the lighthouse to inquire after a request one of the villagers had to clear out a few monsters that had made their camp a bit too close to Hateno Harbor for comfort. The harbor was the only reliable connection the village to Lurelin and the rest of Hyrule, so the mayor was eager for Wolf to clear out their camp since the visiting adventurers were eager to continue on their way but not quite so confident that they could handle the multiple Moblins spotted at the camp.

Thus, Wolf was absent while I oversaw the placement of the rest of our furniture in addition to the installation of a door leading to the bathhouse in the back. Wolf still hadn’t returned once the house was fully furnished, so I went out to dip my feet in the pond while the sun set, alone with my thoughts.

Alone with my memory.

Who was Princess Zelda in her day? Would she recognize me, or had I changed so drastically that I would appear a stranger before her mythic figure? Was this amnesia something she intended, or perhaps was counting on? Were Wolf and I placed in the Shrine of Resurrection at her command? 

I stood and brushed myself off as I heard the wood creak under Wolf’s feet as he crossed the bridge with Link trotting by his side, sleepy but no worse for wear. Nevertheless, he went to bed almost immediately after dinner. I slid next to him without a word, unwilling to break my train of thought.

That night I dreamed I was in the sky, looking over Hyrule. At first I thought I was flying, but the stillness was too great. I couldn’t feel the wind currents keeping me aloft or the cold I knew came with ascending to greater heights.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a streak of movement headed towards Hyrule Field from the Rito Village. I looked closer and recognized the Champion Revali, no longer bleeding or bandaged, as he landed on the peak of Mount Rhoam. I watched as he pulled something from the scabbard in his back. It wasn’t, as I expected, a standard Rito blade. Upon closer inspection it wasn’t a blade at all, but a wooden imitation of one. I would have thought it was a training sword were it not for the paint staining the winged cross guard purple. I watched as he held it in his hands, letting out a shaky sigh as he slumped his shoulders before driving the imitation sword into the ground. He reached behind him with a shaking hand and drew forth what looked like a copy of his Great Eagle Bow, only much smaller and painted a pristine white. He gently leaned the bow against the sword before sitting next to it facing the castle in all of its malicious glory. He didn’t shed a tear, but I saw him tremble, quietly curling in on himself.

I shouldn’t watch this. I should leave him to his grief, whoever it was for.

I woke up with a gasp, safely tucked into Wolf’s warm embrace back in Hateno. My dream instilled a deep sense of discomfort that cracked the barrier I had built around the unrest festering between me and my memories and kept me awake for the rest of the night.

I descended the stairs a few hours before dawn broke and sat at the table with a candle so I could reread the first journal entries now that I had the more context, warming my feet by tucking them under Link’s stomach as he lay under the table in front of me.

There was heartbreak in these pages, that much was always clear, but now I knew that one of the hearts shattered wasn’t lost in the past as I had thought, but beating still within my own chest. I had this feeling of dread curling around in my stomach. The tragedy was there, looming in the distance but marching ever closer. If I regained any more of my memories I would have to face this sorrow head on instead of holding it safely at arm's length.

I leaned back in the chair and looked towards the window where the early morning light was just beginning to filter through the window, wondering if regaining my memories would be worth it. I could be happy like this. Spending the rest of my life as Sparrow with Wolf at my side, here in this house in Hateno. We made this house a home together, and even in this quiet I could feel the reassurance of domesticity fill the air.

And yet.

The threat to this land could not be ignored. Even now, secure within the walls of my new home, I could feel that wretched blight seething at the corner of my awareness, tainting any peace I could find or make. I suppose it was possible to defeat the monster trapped in the castle without regaining all of my memories, but taking that risk solely so I could remain in blissful ignorance would be unforgivable. I needed to pursue my past through any means I could.

Should I reach out to the Champions? I didn’t remember enough about our relationship to make that call. I suppose it was possible that we were close and a visit would be welcomed. However, it was just as likely that they only saw me as a commander and any communication from me could come across as summons when they should be recovering, in which case it would be better to hold off contacting them until there was a solid plan for confronting Ganon. 

Either way, I would have to go in person. Any written communication signed with my real name would be met with skepticism, if not outright offense. I needed more context before I could even consider reaching out to them. Besides, I couldn’t stand to raise their hopes only to arrive a disappointment.

The journal mentioned Zelda’s Haven, and someone named Leah had taken part of some sort of age experiments. Depending on their success, she might still be alive, and maybe she was living there still, and could give me a more comprehensive understanding of my past.

I stood up and slipped out the door, Link loping at my heels. After making breakfast out of one of the apples from the tree in the backyard I pondered what to do next. I sat with my feet in the pond to watch the sun rise and leaned back.

I needed to find someone who could tell me the story of my own life, yet aside from various campfire tales there wasn’t much in the way of recorded history. I hadn’t seen a single history book in all my travels. 

I had heard whispers of Zelda’s Haven during our stay at Rito Village, a City of Starlight shining in eastern Hyrule, but I had assumed they were just that, whispers. I hadn’t seen anything matching that description from the sky, but this journal suggested otherwise. I was missing something. Perhaps I should make the trip up to Hebra. Neither Wolf nor I had spent much time there, so apart from the map on the Slate we knew little about the region.

Kass! Of course! If anyone knew about Zelda’s Haven, it would be a traveling bard with connections to the Sheikah. Wolf had mentioned he ran into Kass on his way to clear out the harbor, so perhaps he was still there. 

I took to the skies, savoring the morning chill before banking towards the sea. I found him on a pedestal like rock formation, surrounded by seagulls. I let my wings go for a moment and managed to descend without knocking any birds out of the sky, opening the paraglider to slow my descent next to the bard.

I harbored no false hopes that he had registered my approach, so I tapped him on the shoulder, causing him to startle, an errant note squeezing out of his accordian.

“Ah! I did not expect company so far out! Not to mention this early, though I suppose it is the hour of the early bird. A good morning to you Sparrow. I know a song about this place, would you like to hear it?”

I shook my head and held up a hand, “I’m sure it’s lovely, but I have a different song in mind, if you’re in the mood to take requests.”

He cocked his head, “what sort of request?”

I held my hands behind my back in an attempt to brace myself, “What can you tell me about Princess Zelda?”

I came to Kass in hopes of hearing a song or two, which made the look in his eye all the more shocking. He seemed frozen, and stared down at me like a bird in a hunter’s sights, utterly at a loss.

“You recognize me, don’t you?” I asked. He cleared his throat and nodded.

“Not at first, but recently I found myself sifting through my late teacher’s belongings and came across a portrait of you and presumably the other Champions. The resemblance is unmistakable. A likeness shared between you and the princess would be one thing, but Wolf was there as well, right at your side.”

“I see,” I responded, unsure what else to say. Kass continued on.

“What do you remember?”

I shook my head, “Not much at all, really, that’s why I came to you, I was hoping you would have some more concrete information. Or at the very least verify whether or not Zelda’s Haven is a real place.”

“Of course it’s a real place,” Kass replied, “In fact, that’s where the bulk of my studies took place.”

“I haven’t seen a sign of it from the skies or the Slate’s map.”

“I’m not surprised,” Kass answered, “It’s pretty well hidden from those who don’t know it’s location, which I imagine is why you chose that area to begin with.”

I cocked my head to the side, “Did I found the city myself?” It would explain the name.

“Not quite,” he clarified, “Zelda’s Haven was originally meant to be a temporary shelter for the people who lived in Hyrule’s capital and the surrounding field. For a while, it even served as her, excuse me,  _ your _ base of operations when you began preparations for Calamity in full force. Since the beast still remains in Hyrule Field, the people there decided to turn the site into their permanent home.”

“Is there anyone there who might be able to give me a clearer picture of my past?” I asked.

“It’s been a while since I last set foot in the city, but there is a Sheikah Laboratory there, if you're looking for records, that’s a good place to start.”

I bid him farewell after he pinned the location of Zelda’s Haven and flew back home just in time to see Wolf pull himself out of bed with tousled hair. 

“Morning, love,” I called, and he groggily looked around to find me at the top of the stairs. He gave me a sleepy smile that was so sweet that I couldn’t help but rush over to kiss him good morning.

“Did you sleep well?” I asked, running a hand through his hair as his head rested on my shoulder and he wrapped his arms around my waist. He sighed and gave me a gentle squeeze before sitting up to stretch.

I ran to the market for some milk while he got dressed and started on a more substantial breakfast. I returned with the bottles tucked into a basket and a bit of honey.

I was about to tell him about the Haven while we sat down to crepes when I heard a knock at the door and I stood to answer it. I opened it to see Fyson, the son of Rito village’s general store owner, holding a bundle.

“Fyson! What brings you by?” I asked, opening the door wider.

“We received word that you two had purchased a house and Saki suggested we bring you a housewarming gift. We all pitched in to prepare this for you. It’s bound to come in handy now that winter’s setting in.”

I invited Fyson in for breakfast, but he had places to be and took off. The bundle turned out to be Rito down bedding, including two pillows and a cozy quilt that I wasted no time making the bed with while Wolf cleared the table.

“I visited Kass this morning,” I said, not knowing how else to broach a still sensitive subject.

“Yeah?”

“He told me about a city in Tanagar canyon. One we missed.”

“Let’s go then,” his reply was immediate, moving to grab his hood, chomping at the bit to explore another corner of the wild we had somehow missed.

While he began to pack our travel gear I took to the skies so I could meet him at Serenne Stable when he fast traveled nearby.

I skirted the south of Hyrule Field, still wary of the beast, which took me above Satori mountain, aglow with ethereal light. I made a note to revisit the mountain when I could and flew on, landing by the shrine closest to the stable just in time to watch Wolf solidify on the platform. The sun shone directly overhead as we sled down the hill towards the canyon’s edge, right towards the spot Kass had pointed out. We stood there a moment, trying to figure out what we missed the last time we were here.

“There!” I cried, grabbing Wolf’s arm and pointing to a soft blue glow that seemed to peek through the wall of carved stone, “you see that?”

He nodded, drawing out his paraglider and leaping into the canyon. I gave him a few moments to descend so I could follow without risking a wing smacking him out of the sky.

The building was ancient, the worn stone crumbling away at several places, but there was an unmistakable light shining through a break in the rock. Wolf and I shared a look, then he ran off the edge and descended with a snap of the paraglider. I waited a moment to give Wolf enough distance before I followed suit, and within moments we stood together under an arch, looking out into a cavern filled to the brim with shining starlight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while hasn't it?


	10. Zelda's Haven

Zelda’s Haven stood before us, looking like a sliver of a different time, if not a different world all together. The flames burned blue, lighting the way through streets flanked by houses built unlike any we had seen in the world above. and bits of ancient metal adorned all of the houses and walls, forming a latticework that served as ladders up to the city’s upper levels and formed metal suspension bridges all across the gargantuan columns and bridges that soared high above the cavern floor, where there were several bridges made from visibly newer stonework. 

Wolf’s hand grabbed my arm, audibly gasping. I followed his gaze up to the ceiling where I could see several legless guardians hung upside down, active and watchful. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that these machines were lit up in a bright, cheerful orange instead of the sinister blue that warned of peril.

“They aren’t hostile,” I reassured, grabbing his hand and walking to cross the bridge connecting us to the city proper. He walked with me, but he kept a watchful eye on the ceiling nonetheless. 

The bridge hosted a bustling market unlike any we had come across so far. There were merchants at the stables of course, but there was always a tense unease that came with the dangers of the wild. Even in other settlements, shops were in their own buildings. This market was different, filled with shopkeepers and customers haggling and laughing without restraint, feeling no need to keep quiet or avoid attracting the attention of monsters. Beyond the bridge I could see the clusters of houses built from wood painted a dark blue that contrasted with the countless lights that shone in place of the sun. 

We passed through the market to descend a set of stairs onto the strokes below, and walked between the houses to what I presumed to be the city’s square only to be stopped by what I saw there.

I looked up at my own face set in stone, standing proudly atop a pedestal with a gaze fixed at the cavern’s opening. The statue held a bow almost identical to the one I had attempted to summon at full draw. There was an inscription below.

_ In memory of Zelda, our Guiding Light and Saving Grace. _

“Are you here to pay your respects?”

I turned to see a young woman with stark white hair and deep brown eyes, she was holding an empty basket which she began loading with the small packages that surrounded my effigy's feet.

“Sort of,” I answered, “I’m looking for records of the Great Calamity, Princess Zelda especially, and I was told this was the place to look.”

“You were told right,” she responds, “I’m Lily, the director of the Hyrulean Relief Corps, while most of the hard records are kept in Kakariko, we can certainly provide you with a timeline of Princess Zelda’s life and efforts to keep the Calamity at bay and their lasting impact to the present day, including,” she said, holding up the now full basket in her arms, “the various donations left in her honor, which the Corps distributes to the Stables for any traveler in dire need of medical supplies or other such equipment.”

Wolf and I followed her into what appeared to be an add on to the largest buildings in the square, where Lily handed her basket off to a middle aged man who got to work on unwrapping and sorting the blankets, first aid supplies, and elixirs into boxes labeled with the names of stables across Hyrule. Across the room a Rito picked up one of the closed boxes and passed us to go out the door, giving each of us a quick nod before shutting the door behind him.

“This is where we put our plans into motion, be it correspondence between settlements and stables, or fulfilling a request for aid wherever it comes from. You wanted historical texts, right? We keep them upstairs since it’s always so busy down here.”

We followed her to the back of the room and up the steps to a smaller, quieter room lined wall to wall with bookshelves. It wasn’t as though I hadn’t seen any books during our travels, the stables always had a dozen or so on hand in a makeshift book exchange system for travelers. This, however, was a library in its own right. That small fact sent a wave of nostalgia through me, and I felt like something I was missing snap into place. I felt myself relaxing as I examined the table in the center of the room, topped with a leather bound book and several inkwells and quills. This wasn’t just where the records were kept, but where they were made as well.

Not all of the shelves were filled with books, some holding little trinkets. There was a sparkle that shone out from a basket that I found to be filled with several shards that reflected any light that touched it. 

“What is this?” Wolf said, and I turned to where he stood by a mannequin. There wasn’t much on it, save for a tattered and torn cloak that must have been white at some point but had been reduced to a smattering of gray, black, and brown. There were several large holes in the abused cloth, but I could still make out a few snippets of blue thread woven throughout the cloth.

“That’s actually one of our biggest recoveries!” Lily said, crossing the room to stand next to him, “We just found it a few months ago in Hyrule Field, it matches the descriptions we have on record of Sir Link Vanguard’s cloak, embroidered for him by hand by Princess Zelda herself.”

“Link Vanguard?” Wolf asked, brow furrowed.

“Princess Zelda traveled all across Hyrule in her quest to prepare the land for the coming onslaught, but the only person she brought with it was her own oath bound knight, whom she later named the Hylian Champion. The Princess was actually a fugitive during her quest, which makes her results all the more admirable. She established her base of operations inside this very ruin, with Sir Link. The embroidery you see is in honor of the blade he wielded, the sword that seals the darkness.”

That phrase tugged against the pack of my mind, and by the look of him, Wolf felt something too, but Lily continued, oblivious.

“There are several rumors surrounding Link Vanguard, some going so far as to claim he eloped with Princess Zelda at one point during their travels, sadly, none of our records verify this conclusion, so I personally believe it was simply gossip. It’s a shame, though, because  _ Hylia’s Love _ is my favorite book.”

“Really?” I asked, intrigued even when I could feel my face flush.

“Oh yes,” she answered, taking an old, worn book from the shelf by the door and handing it to Wolf, and her eyes shone when she spoke, “It was written by a Sheikah poet that was actually in the castle when the princess still lived in it. He heard a fair bit of gossip surrounding the pair, and he wrote down some of the better stories. There’s not a household in Zelda’s Haven that doesn’t have a copy. My favorite story growing up was about how they met, only the princess didn’t know it at the time! Apparently Sir Link, though he wasn’t knighted yet at the time, came across Princess Zelda as she was weeping on a cold winter’s night and left his cloak for her. She then embroidered the very same garment and returned it to him when she named him the Hylian Champion. I must have read those stories a thousand times when I was little. In fact, it’s what drove me to the Corps in the first place. I wanted to be a historian so I could see for myself if there was any truth to the tales. And it turns out there is,” she said, gesturing to the mannequin.

“That cloak isn’t the only thing we found though,” she crossed the room to pick up the basket I had noticed and put it on the table in the center of the room.

“These,” she whispered, reverent and conspiratorial, “are what we believe to be pieces of Princess Zelda’s breastplate, which is said to be crafted from one of Naydra’s scales. Our historians want to set about piecing it back together, but we’re still writing to Hateno for a suitable adhesive.”

“Did the Sheikah poet provide all of the texts regarding the Age of Calamity?” I asked, moving to Wolf’s side to look over his shoulder as he flipped through its pages. Indeed, there was an illustration of a knight kneeling in front of me, wearing a shining white cloak with the same design that now hung damaged and worn on the mannequin in front of us. You couldn’t see the knight’s face, but the shade of his hair was oh so familiar.

“Actually the majority of our historical documents were penned by our previous director, Leah of Hyrule. She was Princess Zelda’s younger sister in fact.”

I took Wolf’s hand in my own and squeezed it, bracing myself for my next question.

“Is she still alive? Could I meet her, by any chance?” I asked, struggling to keep my voice even.

“You can, actually! She’s been retired for a few decades now, but everyday about this time she goes to pray by the shrine. I would ask that you not interrupt her, but you should be able to catch her on her way out. Just go back to the square and follow the big road until you come across the doorway, you can’t miss it!”

I nodded, and took a steadying breath, suddenly nervous. I needed to know who I was 100 years ago, but what if I couldn’t measure up to someone who actually knew me? Not to mention her age. Would I see my younger sister take her dying breath before I could defeat the beast. 

Wolf squeezed my hand, “You go on ahead,” he whispered, “I’ll be right here.”

I took a breath, snapping out of my thoughts. I smiled at him, and he gave me a kiss on the forehead before I turned to go.

I walked out into the street with shaking legs, turning to follow Lily’s directions through a doorway that led out to a shrine, the orange glow a direct contrast to the sheikah flames burning bright throughout the city. There wasn’t anyone there yet, so I stepped inside, almost out of habit.

_ “How does it feel?” _

_ “Great. I feel like I could fight a Lynel, maybe even two.” _

_ “Let’s not get carried away.” _

_ “Three.” _

I still lacked any substantial memory of this place to speak of, but I got the distinct impression that I spent a lot of time here. Perhaps this is where I stayed when building the foundation for Zelda’s Haven?

The Goddess statue loomed over me, looking out over the city. I was tempted to fly up to the platform her hands made for old times sake, but I couldn’t put my finger on why.

Absentmindedly, I walked up onto the shrine and registered it to the Slate before freezing when the lights shifted from blazing orange to a soft blue and it occurred to me that perhaps I should have asked permission before permanently changing an area of worship.

I heard footsteps behind me, and then an audible gasp. I turned around, apology ready on my lips.

I came face to face with a woman in her early twenties, shining raven hair falling loose down her back in a direct contrast to my braided ponytail, yet all the more I could recognize her.

She spoke first, my name falling broken through her lips.

“Zelda?”

I smiled with watery eyes down at my younger sister.

“Hello Leah.”


	11. Say My Name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright y'all this is the chapter that changed the rating so fair warning for smut ahead.

“I don’t understand,” she stammered, taking a hesitant step towards me, “You died.  _ Everyone _ thought you died.”

“I assure you I am very much alive,” I said, and she closed the distance between us. I didn’t think it was possible to be held so tight without breaking a rib in the process. I didn’t mind, though, and she pulled away too soon. She took my arm in hers and walked us out of the holy place back into the square, where she sat us down on one of the benches tucked to the sides. I watched people mill about around the statue. It was surreal, really, to look up at your own memorial.

“You’re a lot younger than I expected,” I quipped, just to break the ice. She laughed before shaking her head.

“Where have you been Zelda?”

“I’ve been traveling for a couple of months now, trying to make sense of all of this,” I said.

“Why didn’t you come sooner?” she asked with a broken voice. I swallowed the rush of guilt before continuing.

“I didn’t remember. I  _ still _ don’t remember much about my life one hundred years ago. I came here for answers. The Resurrection preserves youth, but not memory. A couple of days ago I had a memory return to me when I traveled to Akkala Citadel, and I knew I had to seek the rest of them out. I asked Kass the Rito bard where to start, and he pointed me here. Lily told me you would pray by the shrine so I waited there for you.”

“Wait, if you only have a single memory, how did you know to look for me?”

I brought out our father’s journal from where it was strapped to my hip. “I found this the day I woke up on the Plateau. I didn’t really know what it was back then, so I’ve been using the blank pages. Knowing its true nature, I would understand if you want to keep it for yourself though.” 

I held it out to her, but she wouldn’t take it.

“It would have made him happy to know you were using it,” she said, “Although I might want to borrow it for a week or so to transcribe its contents.”

We talked for a good while longer, where she told me about her life after the Calamity, and how they had managed to reverse the aging process a couple of times, but hadn't been able to replicate it reliably enough to put it into practice. Apparently they had hoped to grow the decimated population by expanding the amount of child rearing years of the typical hylian.

“Did you ever have children?” I asked. She sucked in a breath.

“I wanted them. Especially then when I thought that it would be the only way to have a family again, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

“Why not?”

“Because I always knew how they would look to her,” she said, “they would look to her as they once looked to you, hoping that she might develop the sacred power that you had, and they would push her to face that monster you trapped inside the castle. And I know that she would have no choice but to fail them.”

She was right, the journal had mentioned that throughout the history of Hyrule the second born was never able to produce an heir capable of wielding sacred power, even if they were born before the princess.

“I couldn’t do it,” she admitted, “after watching all you had to go through, and after I learned what you had to do, I just couldn’t do it. I’m so sorry Zelda.”

“Don’t apologize,” I insisted, “I never should have left you with this burden. You wouldn’t have felt that pressure if I hadn’t failed all those years ago.”

“You didn’t fail Zelda,” Leah said, taking my hand in hers, “You did the best you could with what you had. There was no way you could have foreseen the Divine Beasts turning on us. I don’t know how the Champions survived, but I’m damn sure you had something to do with it.”

She looked to the city’s entrance where the sun's last rays were shining through.

She stood up and brushed herself off before turning to me.

“Why don’t we get something to eat? Then I’ll set you up in the inn and go write some letters.”

“Letters to whom?” I asked as I followed her down the street.

“First to Kakariko and Robbie’s lab in Akkala. The coat on the statue is just a replica sent in for Hateno’s contribution to the memorial, Impa has your old coat if you want it. She managed to find it and have it mended for safekeeping.”

She bought some food from a vendor at the market and now it was her turn to ask the questions. Starting with how I managed to take down the Divine Beasts.

“I’ve heard so many rumors it’s hard to tell which ones were real,” she laughed, “It’s not like you actually sprouted wings and flew up to Vah Medoh yourself.”

“That one’s real.”

She paused, turning to look at me like I’d grown a second head, “Excuse me?”

“I did fly up to Medoh. I was shot out of the sky the first time around, but I got there eventually.”

“How did you manage that?” she asked.

“The wings.” I responded, feeling a bit self conscious now, “I might not be able to fire the Bow of Light just yet, but I can do that much.” To prove it I summoned the wings to my back, holding them out so she could see them. She just stared at me, confused. I broke first.

“Wasn’t I able to fly one hundred years ago?”

Leah shook her head, “You could use the Bow of Light and communicate with others no matter where they were in Hyrule, but you couldn’t fly.”

That carried a number of implications to sift through. If I couldn’t fly one hundred years ago, then whatever power that resided in me was adaptable. But was the shape of this power dependent on my preference or need? Was it possible to give it whatever shape I wanted? If that was the case there would be no need to reform the Bow of Light, and I can find an alternative combative outlet. I brought this possibility up to Leah over dinner, but she shook her head.

“If that was the case I don’t think you’d be able to summon bits and pieces of it, and the fact that you were able to fire it once already shows that you have the ability, but not necessarily the power.”

“What if I’ve lost it?” I asked, the thought dropping a stone in my stomach.

“I don’t think so. I think you’re still recovering. One hundred years ago you told me that your powers came to you gradually. First you could only observe, but then you could summon the Bow of Light and speak with a voice that seemed supernatural. And now you can fly,” she laughed, shaking her head before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a few red rupees.

“For the inn,” she said, but I shook my head.

“You don’t need to-”

“I insist,” she pushed them into my hand, “You’ve done so much already, just take it. And meet me in the square in the morning, we’ll have breakfast.”

I stepped into the inn after another hug and walked up to the desk.

“You wouldn’t happen to be a room booked for a man named Wolf, would you?”

The man looked up from his book, “Sparrow?”

I nodded and he wordlessly handed me a key before pointing to the stairs. I walked up to the third floor and unlocked the door corresponding to the key in my hand.

The room itself was pretty spacious, which means my love must have indulged. He sat in one of two chairs by a lit hearth, reading the same book Lily had discussed earlier. 

“Hey,” I said, and his eyes met mine. I froze, a shiver going down my spine and settling in my core at the look in his eyes. He put his book on a table and crossed the room, taking my head in his hands and pressing his lips to mine. 

I gasped, and he slipped his tongue into my mouth. I felt my face flush as he sucked on my tongue and dragged his hands down my body to the backs of my thighs, lifting me to press my back against the door. He pulled away to bury his face into my neck, sucking and biting in a frenzy. I relished in the heat of his affection, threading my fingers through his hair and grinding against his hips, moaning when I felt his erection grow between my legs. He released my neck to put his mouth so close to my ear I felt his lips move as he spoke.

“Say my name.”

I shuddered, arousal writhing between my hips and my heart thundering in my ears. My voice came out as barely a whisper, but it was enough for him.

“Link.”

I felt his growl against my chest as he spun around to push me down onto the bed. I managed to undo his belt while he pushed the Rito fabric I used to cover my chest aside, pinching one nipple while rubbing the other. I arched my back, distracted from my attempts to strip him long enough for him to descend on my breast. He slowly ran his tongue over one breast while he got to work taking off my pants. I reached down and tugged the hair tie, letting his golden hair fall down in a mess for me to comb my fingers through. His mouth switched breasts, and I felt one of his fingers trace the seam between my legs, I gasped, squirming underneath him as he pressed on, moving the fabric covering my vulva aside so he could slowly push one finger in, and then another.

“Keep going,” I pleaded, and was rewarded when his fingers began moving around inside me while he pumped them in and out until I was mewling in his hands. Before I let myself go completely I tugged on his hair. He pulled away, and while a part of me was disappointed I didn’t let him continue I still dragged him up to kiss him. I flipped us over and finished ridding him of his pants and briefs, taking the length of him in my hand as I straddled him. I positioned him at my opening, and prepared to sink down 

“Zelda,” a hand under my chin tilted my face to meet his eyes, his breathtaking blue eyes.

“I love you,” 

I kissed him. I kissed him as he went inside me, and reveled in his groans when I began to move atop him. I nibbled at his neck and kissed my way up his jaw while my hands traced the skin of his neck and he gripped my hips, guiding me into a rhythm that soon had us both moaning each other’s names, once lost to time, with love and abandon.

He reached down to brush his fingers over my clit, and that was the drop that broke the dam. I arched my back and cried out with the orgasm crashing through me. Link wasn’t far behind, shaking with his release a few moments after me.

I collapsed on the bed next to my love, emotionally, and now physically, drained. He drew a breath to speak, and I mentally flinched at the thought of another heart to heart while mine was still so fragile.

“You named the wolf Link.”

And then I was laughing so hard that I was curling in on myself.

“In my defense,” I pushed out between gasps, “you named the Link Wolf.”

**Author's Note:**

> I know I kind of came out of the blue with this one but don't worry we're gonna do the memory thing.


End file.
